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3 days ago

Biden farewell speech live updates: Biden calls for Constitutional amendment ending presidential immunity

President Joe Biden warned ‘oligarchy is taking shape in America’ during his final address from the Oval Office

Oliver O'Connell,Joe Sommerlad
Thursday 16 January 2025 02:04 GMT
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Heated exchange breaks out between Sen. Adam Schiff and Pam Bondi during hearing

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President Joe Biden delivered his farewell address to the nation from the Oval Office on Wednesday evening, calling for a Constitutional amendment ending presidential immunity.

“We need to amend the Constitution to make clear that no president is immune from crimes that he or she commits while in office,” Biden said.

Last year, the Supreme Court ruled that former presidents have some immunity from prosecution for “official acts,” after President-elect Donald Trump’s lawyers filed an appeal in his federal election interference case arguing for total presidential immunity

Biden also warned of an “oligarchy” forming in the US.

“Today, an oligarchy is taking shape in America of extreme wealth, power and influence that literally threatens our entire democracy, our basic rights and freedom and a fair shot for everyone to get ahead,” Biden said.

This remark comes as Elon Musk, the world’s richest man, serves as a close ally to Trump, whose net worth is projected to be more than $6 billion. Musk gave millions to the president-elect’s campaign last year through his America PAC and is now set to co-lead the new Department of Government Efficiency.

Biden is now leaving office with a low approval rating — though higher than his predecessor and successor did.

4 days ago

Rubio: ‘Post-war global order is not just obsolete... It is now a weapon being used against us’

Senator Marco Rubio sums up his approach to foreign policy in his opening remarks: “The post-war global order is not just obsolete. It is now a weapon being used against us.”

He later says: “We will never be indifferent to the suffering of our fellow man. But ultimately, under President Trump, the top priority of the United States Department of State will be the United States.”

Here’s what he had to say about China:

Oliver O'Connell15 January 2025 15:47
4 days ago

Bondi asked about Kash Patel’s enemies list

Senator Sheldon Whitehouse asks Bondi: “Would you have ever hired someone into the Florida attorney general’s office with an enemies list?”

Bondi responds: “I’ll cut to the chase — you’re clearly talking about Kash Patel. I don’t believe he has an enemies list. He made a quote … I know that Kash Patel has had 60 jury trials as a public defender, as a prosecutor, he has great intel experience … I have known Kash and I believe Kash is the right person in the right time for this job … There will never be an enemies list in the Department of Justice.”

Later, Whitehouse asks under what circumstances would Bondi prosecute journalists.

Bondi replies: “I believe in the freedom of speech … You find the facts of the case, you apply the law in good faith, and you treat everyone fairly.”

Alex Woodward15 January 2025 15:42
4 days ago

Rubio hearing interrupted by protesters

At Senator Marco Rubio's confirmation hearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, protesters in Spanish and English interrupted his opening statement, demonstrating about issues in the Middle East and Latin America.

Rubio, who would be the first Latino secretary of state, joked: “I get bilingual protests which is kind of cool.”

Security personnel remove a protester as U.S. Senator Marco Rubio’s confirmation hearing
Security personnel remove a protester as U.S. Senator Marco Rubio’s confirmation hearing (REUTERS)
(REUTERS)
Oliver O'Connell15 January 2025 15:41
4 days ago

Graham asks Bondi about designating Mexican cartels as terrorist organizations

Senator Lindsey Graham wants to know if Bondi would support the designation of Mexican cartels as foreign terrorist organizations. If she does, the Justice Department gives Trump legal legitimacy for this:

Oliver O'Connell15 January 2025 15:35
4 days ago

Watch: Bondi asked about 2020 election

Oliver O'Connell15 January 2025 15:30
4 days ago

Will Bondi support Trump’s pardons of Jan 6 defendants?

Durbin asks Bondi if she would support Donald Trump if he pardons violent January 6 Capitol rioters.

“If asked to look at those cases, I would advise on a case-by-case basis just as I did my entire career as a prosecutor,” she said.

Should those convicted for violence against officers be pardoned?

“I have not seen any of those files, of course … I will look at each and every file. … I condemn any violence against a law enforcement officer,” she said.

Alex Woodward15 January 2025 15:29
4 days ago

Bondi evasive on 2020 election denialism

Democratic Senator Dick Durbin asks whether she is prepared to say Donald Trump lost the 2020 election.

Pa,m Bondi doesn’t say yes or no: “President Biden is the president of the United States, he was duly sworn in, and he is the president of the United States.”

She notes that Trump “left office and he was overwhelmingly elected in 2024.”

“All I can tell you as a prosecutor is from my experience … I accept the results … but what I can tell you is firsthand what I saw in Pennsylvania,” she said.

“Do I accept the results? Of course, I do. … I saw so much — no one from either side of the aisle should want there to be any issue with election integrity,” she said.

“I think that question deserved a yes or no,” Durbin said. “I think the length of your question means you weren’t prepared to say yes.”

Alex Woodward15 January 2025 15:28
4 days ago

Double duty for Rick Scott, introducing two Florida nominees

Oliver O'Connell15 January 2025 15:20
4 days ago

Watch LIVE: Donald Trump’s secretary of state pick Marco Rubio grilled in confirmation hearing

Oliver O'Connell15 January 2025 15:18
4 days ago

Bondi vows to ‘make America safe again’ and end ‘weaponization’ of DOJ

In her opening statement, Pam Bondi says: “If confirmed, I will do everything in my power and it will be my great responsibility to make America safe again.”

Bondi stresses a “back to basics” role at the Justice Department in prosecuting violent crime and terrorism (an argument that suggests she doesn’t think federal prosecutors are doing this already), but she throws in at the end of her opening statement that the “partisanship” and “weaponization will be gone.”

There will be “one tier of justice for all,” echoing claims from Trump and his allies of a two-tier system of justice under Attorney General Merrick Garland and President Joe Biden.

Oliver O'Connell15 January 2025 15:17

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