McConnell accused Democrats of creating an "extreme" distortion of Kavanaugh's record during his hearing process. There's not anything judicial about it. "[61], One of McConnell's most common tactics as minority leader to delay or obstruct legislation and judicial appointments has been the filibuster. [232], During the 2014 campaign season, McConnell was lampooned for posting campaign B-roll footage online for use by allied PACs. The Pentagon "ordered five key witnesses not to testify", according to Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Arlen Specter. [86], On February 13, 2016, Supreme Court justice Antonin Scalia died. [223][228], Host Jon Stewart repeatedly mocked McConnell on The Daily Show for his resemblance to a turtle or tortoise. The Senate Judiciary Committee first attempted to investigate the matter for the Senate in September, 2005. [166] McConnell called the bill a choice between "do[ing] something" and "do[ing] nothing",[167] and said he was holding the procedural vote to get lawmakers on the record about their willingness to compromise on COVID-19 legislation. He told 9/11 Commission staffers Able Danger identified three of the individuals in the terrorist cells that conducted the 9/11 attacks, to include Atta - Shaffer did not mention the names of any other of the 9/11 hijackers in his disclosure to the 9/11 staff. [129][130] He confirmed 260 federal judges over the course of Trump's four-year term, shifting the federal judiciary to the right. Join our radio network Today as we host great Live guests and play the best picks of recent recorded shows >> truthcentralradio.com. USA UNDER W.H. "[101], In 2021, McConnell sought to organize Republican Senators into filibustering a bipartisan commission to investigate the storming of the Capitol on January 6. This American politeecian-relatit airticle is a stub. The net worth of Lara McDonnell is $500 thousand as of 2023. Clearly that mandatory sentence cannot be applied to somebody who has left office. [148] Privately, other Republican senators pressured McConnell to stop blocking appropriations legislation. Donald Trump is no longer the president. The treatment potentially saved him from being disabled for the rest of his life. ", "McConnell won't agree to reconvene Senate early for impeachment trial", "In Senate vote, McConnell opposes Trump impeachment trial's constitutionality", "Mitch McConnell delayed Trump's impeachment trial. Witnesses reported telling Philip Zelikow, executive director of the 9/11 Commission, that Able Danger had identified Atta well before the 9/11 attacks, but Zelikow showed no interest in their testimony. President Trump tweeted two days later that he was willing to allow a government shutdown to get funding. 00. [43][44][45][46], McConnell regularly obtained earmarks for businesses and institutions in Kentucky, until the practice was banned by Congress in 2010. The CARES Act was the largest economic stimulus package in U.S. history,[156] amounting to 10% of total U.S. gross domestic product. According to Shaffer, the CIA representative said, "I clearly understand. In October 2020, the couple got engaged. Advertisement The destruction of these files is an important element to this story and I encourage the Committee to investigate it further. "[57] The Republican caucus threatened repeatedly to force the United States to default on its debt, McConnell saying he had learned from the 2011 debt-ceiling crisis that "it's a hostage that's worth ransoming. In December 2006, an investigation by the US Senate Intelligence Committee concluded that assertions could not be confirmed. [109] McConnell announced his opposition to Kagan's confirmation, saying she was not forthcoming enough about her "views on basic principles of American constitutional law". [231] In 2017, McConnell was portrayed satirically on an episode of South Park. The May 2, 2001, transaction with Atta was data entered and then uploaded to NIIS as if it were a new entry by Atta. [195][196], In the November 2020 general election, McConnell faced Democratic nominee Amy McGrath, a former Marine fighter pilot; and Libertarian nominee Brad Barron, a businessman and farmer. It is unclear if/when he will officially return to active duty. Again, the identification of the four 9/11 hijackers was simply through associational activities. The number of federal judicial vacancies more than doubled comparing the figure near the end of Obama's term to the figure at the end of George W. Bush's term. Additionally, she is the daughter of Ken McDonnell and Michelle McDonnell and a sister to Isabelle and Lochlan McDonnell. Judge Kavanaugh will be voted on here on the Senate floor. His comments were met with sharp criticism from various state and local officials. Before the Committee on Judiciary, United States Senate", "Joint Hearing on the Able Danger Program", Alleged Misconduct by Senior DOD Officials Concerning the Able Danger Program and Lieutenant Colonel Anthony A. Shaffer, US Army Reserve, Review by the Los Angeles Times October 31, 2008, "Pentagon Plan: Buying Books to Keep Secrets", U.S. Army intelligence had detected 9/11 terrorists year before, says officer, Update: U.S. Army intelligence had detected 9/11 terrorists year before, says officer, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Able_Danger&oldid=1124156029. [10] McConnell said his family "almost went broke" because of costs related to his illness. "[58][59], McConnell worked to delay and obstruct health care reform and banking reform, two of the most notable pieces of legislation that Democrats navigated through Congress early in Obama's tenure. However, a week later he referred reporters to a recently reconstructed version of the chart in his office where, among dozens of names and photos of terrorists from around the world, there was a color mug shot of Mohammad Atta, circled in black marker. He then defeated Lois Combs Weinberg by 29.4%. On September 21, 2006, The Washington Post reported that a Defense Department investigation into Able Danger found that Able Danger did not identify Mohamed Atta or any other hijacker before the September 11 attacks, and that a widely discussed chart was "a sample document passed to the military as an example of how to organize large amounts of data", and was created after 9/11. Aside from acting, she earns a decent amount of money through guest appearances, shows, reservations, and affiliate marketing. 1986: William Tell, World-wide fighter competition, North Dakota ANG transitioned from F4 Phantom to F16 Fighting Falcon, 1990. Shortly thereafter, Northwest Airlines, compelled by the United States Department of Justice (USDoJ), silenced Field McConnell, due to his inadvertent reopening of a safety issue closed in the June, 2006 settlement of a $615 million settlement paid by Boeing to the United States Department of Justice (USDOJ). [217][218] McConnell was inducted as a member of the Sons of the American Revolution on March 1, 2013. When voters heard that legislation had been 'defeated', journalists rarely highlighted that this defeat meant a minority had blocked a majority. [20][22] After five weeks at Fort Knox, he was honorably discharged. She was part of the "Singing Playmates" musical group. He also said why he voted to acquit: "ArticleII, Section4 must have force. [24], In 1971, McConnell returned to Louisville, where he worked for Tom Emberton's candidacy for Governor of Kentucky, which was unsuccessful. It helps to know Mitch McConnell", "PBGC Director Nominee Gets Kicked Back to Trump", "Senate Confirms Gordon Hartogensis as Director of PBGC", "Roll Call Vote 116th Congress 1st Session", "The Long Rifleman Louisville-Thruston Chapter", "Mitch McConnell - Net Worth - Personal Finances", "McConnell called 'Midnight Mitch' for controversial proposed impeachment trial rules", "Mitch McConnell responds to Trump's 'Old Crow' insult: 'It's quite an honor', "Mitch McConnell responds to 'Daily Show' turtle impersonation", "Jon Stewart Takes 'Slow-Talking Tortoise-Man' Mitch McConnell to Task Again (Video)", "What is McConnelling? [38], McConnell has a reputation as a skilled political strategist and tactician. [28] The Defense Department's inspector general (DoD OIG) made a similar conclusion. On September 18, 2006, the Office of the Deputy Inspector General for Investigations released a report stating that Shaffer was put on leave, that the crew responsible for removing any classified documents from his office to prevent his taking them home with him found that he did not have any of the Able Danger-related documents trusted to him he claimed he had,[54] and that despite the fact that the Army cleared him of any wrongdoing in the allegations "DIA officials would have taken action to revoke LTC Shaffer's access and clearance regardless of his disclosures to the DIA IG, the 9/11 Commission staff members, Members of Congress, or the media.[55]. After Trump faced heavy criticism from some right-wing media outlets and pundits for appearing to back down on his campaign promise to "build the wall", he announced that he would not sign any appropriations bill that did not fund its construction. [203][204][205] Porter McConnell is the campaign director for Take on Wall Street, a left-wing advocacy coalition. His time in service has also been the subject of criticism because his discharge was accelerated after his father placed a call to Senator. [19] It stated the commission had been aware of the Able Danger program, and requested and obtained information about it from the Department of Defense, but none of the information provided had indicated the program had identified Atta or other 9/11 hijackers. Kindle. He believed that Able Danger identified Mohamed Atta 13 separate times prior to 9/11 and that the unit also identified a potential situation in Yemen two weeks prior to the October 12, 2000 attack on the USS Cole. [125] Gorsuch's nomination was confirmed on April 7, 2017, after McConnell eliminated the filibuster on Supreme Court nominees.[126]. Addison Mitchell McConnell III [1] (born February 20, 1942) is an American politician and retired attorney serving his seventh term as the senior United States senator from Kentucky, which he has held since 1985. However, Lt. Col. Shaffer and the other four members of Able Danger were ordered not to testify by the Department of Defense. Kacie is a former hockey player. "[2][3], An investigation by the Defense Department Inspector General's office (IG) in September 2006 concluded that "the evidence did not support assertions that Able Danger identified the September 11, 2001, terrorists nearly a year before the attack, that Able Danger team members were prohibited from sharing information with law enforcement authorities, or that DoD officials acted against LTC Shaffer for his disclosures regarding Able Danger." [14][20] Shortly after his arrival, he was diagnosed with optic neuritis and was deemed medically unfit for military service. This is a man who was born in Indiana. Rhett wears an all-black business suit with a white undershirt and . Trump added: "I hired his wife. Scott Phillpott confirmed Shaffer's claims. [39][40][41][42] This reputation dimmed after Republicans failed to repeal the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) in 2017 during consolidated Republican control of government. [37] McConnell is the second Kentuckian to serve as a party leader in the Senate (after Alben W. Barkley led the Democrats from 1937 to 1949)[13] and is the longest-serving U.S. senator from Kentucky in history. [188][189] He was the first Republican to win a statewide election in Kentucky since 1968, and benefited from the popularity of President Ronald Reagan, up for re-election, who was supported by 60% of Kentucky voters in the same year. [21], In his book Countdown to Terror, Weldon asserted that an Able Danger chart produced in 1999 identifying 9/11 hijackers Mohamed Atta, Marwan al-Shehhi, Khalid al-Mihdhar and Nawaf al-Hazmi had been presented to then-Deputy National Security Advisor Jim Steinberg. That leaves a big opening for Trump", "Judicial Nomination Statistics and Analysis: U.S. District and Circuit Courts, 19772018", "Three More Judges Said to be Vetted for Supreme Court", "McConnell throws down the gauntlet: No Scalia replacement under Obama", "Obama Chooses Merrick Garland for Supreme Court", "170-Plus Days And Counting: GOP Unlikely To End Supreme Court Blockade Soon", "President Obama's Supreme Court Nomination of Merrick Garland Expires", "Mitch McConnell: Proud Moment When I Told Obama 'You Will Not Fill This Supreme Court Vacancy', "Tea Party-Aligned Kentucky Gov May End 95-Year Democratic Reign", "McConnell on midterm elections: 'The wind is going to be in our face', "Constitutional Hardball vs. Beanball: Identifying Fundamentally Antidemocratic Tactics", "Trump picks Colo. appeals court judge Neil Gorsuch for Supreme Court", "Neil Gorsuch Confirmed by Senate as Supreme Court Justice", "Senate confirms a top Abbott adviser, Andrew Oldham, to the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals", "Senate GOP poised to break record on Trump's court picks", "Mitch McConnell is quietly urging federal judges to retire ahead of 2020 election", "McConnell Has a Request for Veteran Federal Judges: Please Quit", "McConnell accuses Dems of trying to 'bork' Kavanaugh", "McConnell promises Senate vote on Kavanaugh", "Brett Kavanaugh confirmed to Supreme Court", "Kavanaugh Is Sworn In After Close Confirmation Vote in Senate", "McConnell: 'Simply inaccurate' that Senate is broken after Kavanaugh fight", "McConnell signals he would push to fill a Supreme Court vacancy in 2020 despite 2016 example", "McConnell vows Trump's nominee to replace Ginsburg will get Senate vote, setting up historic fight", "McConnell: 'Remember me? [211][212][213][214] McConnell voted to confirm. In 2006, Captain Field McConnell filed a federal lawsuit in Washington, DC but the case was tossed by the judge. [185], McConnell's campaign was noted for a series of television campaign spots called "Where's Dee", which featured a group of bloodhounds trying to find Huddleston,[186][bettersourceneeded][187] implying that Huddleston's attendance record in the Senate was poor. ", "Four in 9/11 Plot Are Called Tied to Qaeda in '00", "Source: 9/11 Panel Staffers Probing Documents on 'Able Danger', "Weldon Responds to Omission of ABLE DANGER From 9/11 Report", "Honorable Curt Weldon's testimony at Able Danger and Intelligence Information Sharing", "Weldon: Atta Papers Destroyed on Orders", "Senate Intelligence Committee Letter on ABLE DANGER", "Trump's team is considering Anthony Shaffer, a controversial former Army officer, for a senior defense role", "DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE OFFICE OF THE INSPECTOR GENERAL REPORT OF INVESTIGATION CASE", "Pentagon Revokes 'Able Danger' Officer's Clearance", "Congressman wants new Able Danger probe", "Inside Able Danger The Secret Birth, Extraordinary Life and Untimely Death of a U.S. Military Intelligence Program", "Third Source Backs 'Able Danger' Claims About Atta", "Instructions on Separation of Certain Foreign CounterIntelligence and Criminal Investigations", "Congressman doubts accounts of secret projects's destruction", "The Immigration and Naturalization Service's Contacts With Two September 11 Terrorists: A Review of the INS's Admissions of Mohamed Atta and Marwan Alshehhi, its Processing of their Change of Status Applications, and its Efforts to Track Foreign Students in the United States", "Transcript of The Able Danger Senate Hearings", "Prepared Statement of Mark S. Zaid, Esq. He netted 56 among Democrats, +29 among Republicans, and 24 among Independents. [47] McConnell has received criticism for funding "temporary patches" to Kentucky's long-term healthcare problems, while simultaneously opposing and obstructing national programs that seek to improve healthcare more systematically, such as Obamacare and Medicaid expansion. On December 15, one day after the electoral college vote, McConnell reversed his previous stance and publicly acknowledged Biden's win, stating "Today, I want to congratulate President-elect Joe Biden. [18][115] "The American people should have a voice in the selection of their next Supreme Court justice. Four of the five witnesses remember the photo on the chart. [215], In February 2003, McConnell underwent a triple heart bypass surgery in relation to blocked arteries at National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland. Report Suggest Cover-Up of 9/11 Findings", "Alarming 9/11 Claim Is Baseless, Panel Says", "Senators Nix Pre-9/11 Hijacker ID Theory", "Did DoD lawyers blow the chance to nab Atta? Wells podcast that the United States is under white hat martial law. [210], In May 2019, McConnell's brother-in-law Gordon Hartogensis, who is married to Chao's sister Grace, was confirmed by the U.S. Senate as director of the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC), a part of the Labor Department. [149][150], The shutdown ended on January 25, when President Trump signed a three-week funding measure reopening the government until February 15 without any funds for a border wall. Commentators noted that McConnell had kept Republican senators "marching in lockstep" throughout the process. They declined to comment on the reports as they worked to clarify the matter. 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