Eight people are dead after a plane carrying multiple Army engineers crashed Thursday near an isolated Alaskan radar station. 
The Federal Aviation Administration said the crash occurred Thursday at 12:15 p.m. when a chartered Cessna aircraft went down near the Cape Newenham Long Range Radar Site airport in southwestern Alaska. No immediate information was released on the cause of the crash, but the FAA and the National Safety Transportation Board are investigating. 
“This is a devastating loss for our military family and the communities we serve,&#8221; said U.S. Air Force Lt. Gen. Robert Davis. “These individuals were dedicated professionals carrying out a vital mission in a demanding environment. Our absolute priority right now is providing unwavering support to their families, friends, and teammates during this devastating time. We are profoundly grateful for the swift and tireless response of our search and recovery professionals.”
The plane left Anchorage and its final destination was Cape Newenham, the location of an Air Force-managed radar tracking site. 
Two of the victims on the plane were members of the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers, which chartered the flight. Six passengers and two pilots with flight company Security Aviation were on the flight.  
“We have received confirmation that the two [U.S. Army Corps of Engineers] employees onboard were fatalities. Next of kin have been notified. We are coordinating closely with the appropriate local, state, and federal authorities,” the Army Corps said. 
The fatalities were confirmed by a rescue team from Alaska Air National Guard&#8217;s 176th Wing.
&#8220;Guardian Angel personnel from the 212th Rescue Squadron confirmed there were no survivors,&#8221; Alaskan Command <a href="https://abcnews.com/US/small-plane-8-aboard-crashes-alaska-faa/story?id=135827761">said</a>. &#8220;The names of the passengers and crew will be released 24 hours after notification of next of kin.&#8221;
Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) offered her condolences to the victims of the crash, noting she has frequently flown on flights operated by Security Aviation. 
“I join Alaskans in condolences as we learn of the plane crash in Cape Newenham today. I’ve traveled extensively with Security Aviation throughout Alaska, and have met many of their experienced pilots,” she <a href="https://x.com/lisamurkowski/status/2090629413323087975">said</a>. “Alaska is praying for those on board, their loved ones, and the team at Security Aviation.”

Aerial photograph of alaskan river

Deadly Alaska Plane Crash Was Carrying Team On Vital Military Mission

alaska

federal aviation administration

lisa murkowski

plane crash

united states army

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche was narrowly confirmed by the Senate on Saturday to officially serve in the role, clearing a vote that divided the Republican Party. 
The Senate voted 50 to 49, with two Republicans — Sen. Susan Collins (ME) and Sen. Lisa Murkowski (AK) — siding with Democrats to oppose to Blanche’s nomination. Collins said her opposition stemmed from a Justice Department she believes &#8220;has become increasingly political.&#8221; 
&#8220;Mr. Blanche has taken several actions that have further eroded the Department&#8217;s independence, and that is the basis for my vote to oppose his confirmation,&#8221; she said in a <a href="https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/senator-collins-statement-on-nomination-of-todd-blanche-to-serve-as-attorney-general">statement</a> earlier this week.
Collins argued against Blanche&#8217;s approval of an IRS order to &#8220;shield[ed]&#8221; the Trump family and its businesses from audits, along with the creation of a $1.8 billion anti-weaponization fund. Murkowski <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/second-gop-senator-comes-out-against-blanche-confirmation">echoed</a> those concerns and separately criticized the department&#8217;s handling of the Epstein files release.
The Senate voted to confirm Blanche in a late-night session that ended at 4:00 a.m. After his confirmation, the attorney general <a href="https://x.com/DAGToddBlanche/status/2086015509821038750">said</a> he was &#8220;deeply honored by the trust and confidence President Trump has placed in me to lead the Department of Justice.&#8221;
 On Friday, Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA), who had previously opposed Blanche&#8217;s nomination, announced he would vote to confirm Blanche in what would become the deciding vote in the 50-49 outcome.
“Mr. Blanche is not perfect, and he will tell you this,” Cassidy <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/todd-blanche-gets-guarantee-from-key-senator-on-confirmation-vote">said</a>. “But the choice is not between perfection and Mr. Blanche. It is between Mr. Blanche and another acting attorney general who may not run the department effectively under President Trump, and who indeed may not be as good as Mr. Blanche.”
Cassidy voiced some concern but said he believed that a confirmed attorney general would have more authority to resist political pressure than someone serving only in an acting capacity. Blanche thanked the Senate for staying late to complete the vote and thanked President Donald Trump. 
“I am deeply honored by the trust and confidence President Trump has placed in me to lead the Department of Justice as our great nation’s 88th Attorney General,” he said. 
Blanche&#8217;s path to the job began outside government entirely; he served as Trump&#8217;s personal defense lawyer before nominating him as deputy attorney general upon returning to office. He was appointed to acting attorney general by the president after former Attorney General Pam Bondi was ousted from the department in April.

Todd Blanche

Senate Confirms Todd Blanche As Attorney General In Razor Thin, Late-Night Vote

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politics

senate

susan collins

todd blanche

Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA) announced Friday that he will vote to confirm Todd Blanche as attorney general, likely securing President Donald Trump’s nominee enough Republican support to take over the Justice Department permanently.
Cassidy’s decision came after Sens. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and Susan Collins (R-ME) <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/second-gop-senator-comes-out-against-blanche-confirmation">announced</a> they would oppose Blanche’s nomination, raising questions about whether the former Trump defense attorney could secure enough votes in the narrowly divided Senate.
In a speech on the Senate floor, Cassidy said he had spent days reviewing Blanche’s record, speaking with the nominee, fellow senators, current and former Justice Department officials, and former Attorney General William Barr before reaching his conclusion.
“Mr. Blanche is not perfect, and he will tell you this,” Cassidy said. “But the choice is not between perfection and Mr. Blanche. It is between Mr. Blanche and another acting attorney general who may not run the department effectively under President Trump, and who indeed may not be as good as Mr. Blanche.”
Cassidy said his decision was not an endorsement of Trump’s broader approach to the Justice Department, but rather a judgment about whether Blanche would be able to effectively lead the agency and provide legal counsel to the president. “This is not a referendum on President Trump,” Cassidy said. “It is a decision regarding Mr. Blanche in very specific circumstances.”
The Louisiana senator acknowledged several concerns surrounding Blanche’s nomination, including his involvement in a proposed $1.8 billion “anti-weaponization” fund created as part of a settlement involving President Trump’s lawsuit against the IRS, as well as an agreement that initially provided broad protections from tax audits for Trump and his businesses.
Cassidy said Blanche’s role in approving those measures reflected “poor judgment,” but argued the nominee had taken steps to address the concerns, including rescinding the proposed fund and clarifying the scope of the tax agreement. “No American should be unfairly targeted by the law, but no American should be above the law,” Cassidy said.
The senator also raised broader concerns about what he described as “apparent lawfare,” warning that the Justice Department’s use of prosecutions against political opponents has damaged public trust. “Both parties, presidents of both parties, have been guilty of this,” Cassidy said. “It must stop. It should stop now.”
However, Cassidy said he ultimately concluded that a confirmed attorney general would have more authority to resist inappropriate political pressure than an acting official. 
“I am told that Senate confirmation is important in interactions with the President, with others in the Cabinet, and is important to DOJ employees in general,” Cassidy said. “Being Senate confirmed gives them greater leverage to push for things that should be pushed forward.”
Cassidy pointed to Blanche’s previous work as a federal prosecutor, his management of Justice Department priorities, and his support among U.S. attorneys as evidence that he could lead the agency effectively.
He specifically cited conversations with two Louisiana U.S. attorneys, who Cassidy said praised Blanche’s focus on violent crime, drug trafficking, fraud enforcement, and providing resources to federal prosecutors.
The announcement came after Murkowski and Collins broke with the Republican majority to oppose Blanche’s confirmation. 
“The country needs an Attorney General who will check the worst impulses of this administration,” Murkowski said. “I hope Mr. Blanche is able to achieve that, if confirmed, but I simply do not have confidence that will be the case.”
Collins expressed similar concerns, citing Blanche’s involvement in the IRS settlement, the proposed anti-weaponization fund, and what she viewed as threats to Justice Department independence. With Cassidy’s support, Blanche appears positioned to overcome the opposition from Murkowski and Collins and become the second confirmed attorney general of Trump’s second administration.
Cassidy, who lost his 2026 Republican primary after Trump endorsed his challenger, acknowledged that his vote would draw criticism. “I’ll be criticized for this vote,” Cassidy said, briefly becoming emotional during his remarks. “What’s new?”
“I have a history with Mr. Trump,” Cassidy said. “But that history does not matter one bit.”

Bill Cassidy

Todd Blanche Gets Guarantee From Key Senator On Confirmation Vote

bill cassidy

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche’s path to becoming permanent head of the Justice Department became more difficult on Friday after Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) said she would not vote to confirm him. 
Murkowski joins Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) in her opposition to Blanche, claiming he would further the politicization of the Justice Department. The Alaska Republican also cited pro-life commitments made by Blanche and now-rescinded plans to create a fund for the victims of government weaponization as reasons to oppose his nomination.
While she said that Blanche comes across as “decent and capable,” and had “numerous constructive meetings” with him, Murkowski said she would “oppose his nomination.” 
“The politicization — even weaponization — of the Department did not start with this administration but has accelerated during it,” she said. “I take issue with the handling of the release of the Epstein files; the sweeping immunity protections granted to the President, his family, and their businesses; the statements that have been made to anti-abortion groups; and the repeated targeting of individuals ranging from former administration staff to sitting U.S. Senators.”
Murkowski added that she was still skeptical that the $1.8 billion anti-weaponization fund Blanche <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/todd-blanche-makes-move-to-secure-votes-from-two-gop-holdouts?author=Leif+Le+Mahieu&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=10&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Todd+Blanche+Makes+Move+To+Secure+Votes+From+Two+GOP+Holdouts">rescinded</a> on Sunday would stay dead. While that was enough for Senators Thom Tillis (R-NC) and John Cornyn (R-TX) to vote for his nomination to advance from the Senate Judiciary Committee, both Murkowski and Collins said they were not convinced. 
“The country needs an Attorney General who will check the worst impulses of this administration,” she said. “I hope Mr. Blanche is able to achieve that, if confirmed, but I simply do not have confidence that will be the case.”
With Senator Mitch McConnell’s (R-KY) long absence from the Senate amid health issues, Blanche cannot afford to lose any more Republicans. Outgoing Senator Bill Cassidy (R-LA) has met with Blanche this week and is reportedly one of the key votes yet to be decided. It is unknown when a full Senate vote could occur. 
Last weekend, Trump <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/117020029291674756">said</a> that if Blanche was not confirmed, he would continue to “push hard to get the Anti-Weaponization Bill, which takes care of those who have been so badly treated by the Crooked Joe Biden (and Obuma!) Administration.”

DOJ Announces Charges Against Top Members Of Mexico Cartel CJNG

Second GOP Senator Comes Out Against Blanche Confirmation

senate judiciary committee

Last month, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth made a seismic <a href="https://x.com/SecWar/status/2012302240594170106" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announcement</a>: &#8220;We&#8217;re taking a sledgehammer to the oldest DEI program in the federal government. A program few people outside of Washington have ever heard of. That I haven&#8217;t heard of. It&#8217;s called the 8(a) program.&#8221;
We&#8217;re confident that Daily Wire readers knew about the program: Our own investigative reporter Luke Rosiak <a href="https://www.sbc.senate.gov/public/_cache/files/6/e/6e1b9b58-ff59-48e1-ba7a-3baf8c80fdd3/0A2A02F0F82887A517B8056DA86CE02F8EB6D4405302E38F039CACF58B354005.rosiak-testimony.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">testified</a> to the Senate about the fraud-ridden, multi-billion dollar minority contracting scheme just a month earlier. He&#8217;s written about it <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/a-quarter-of-minority-contracting-firms-banned-after-refusing-anti-fraud-check" target="_blank" rel="noopener">extensively</a> for years. Under the decades-old 8(a) program, 5% of all federal contracts are &#8220;set aside&#8221; for minority- and women-owned businesses. That&#8217;s right — instead of a competitive process that identifies the best company with the best value, government officials direct contracts to specific companies, with no bidding at all, based on minority status.
As Rosiak told the Senate, it opens the door to sordid corruption. When black businessman Walter Barnes got <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/usaid-official-three-contractors-plead-guilty-to-half-billion-dollar-bribery-scheme" target="_blank" rel="noopener">half a billion dollars</a> in USAID contracts by bribing a government procurement official with $1 million, the contracting officer was able to guarantee he could make good on the bribe only because the 8(a) program gave him that discretion.
We don&#8217;t know if Hegseth was tuned in for Rosiak&#8217;s testimony, but Hegseth laid out the issue as clearly as anyone.
&#8220;In the Pentagon, $100 million sole-source contracts go out the door to these 8(a) firms almost every day,&#8221; Hegseth explained, &#8220;without any competition or opportunity for anyone else to bid.&#8221;
Hegseth continued: &#8220;In many, many instances, these socially disadvantaged businesses don&#8217;t even do work. They take a 10%, 20%, sometimes 50% fee off the top, then pass the contract off to a giant consulting firm, commonly known as Beltway Bandits. For decades, this program, 8(a), has been a breeding ground for fraud.&#8221;
He&#8217;s talking about the Capital Beltway that surrounds Washington, D.C., where the biggest players in the government contracting business have learned to make hay out of 8(a). You see, rather than fighting only for direct contracts, the contractors based in D.C.&#8217;s suburbs have learned that they can also seek the business of the minority middlemen.
This process is flagrant. In Dulles Airport&#8217;s Terminal C, there&#8217;s a giant advertisement from an 8(a) firm, seeking companies to &#8220;partner&#8221; with. What it&#8217;s saying is that if a company like Deloitte wants to get a giant contract, it should cut the 8(a) in on the deal. The minority firm will submit a &#8220;joint venture&#8221; or &#8220;mentor-protege&#8221; application, letting government officials know with a wink and a nod that it will be Deloitte doing the work.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
We are taking a sledgehammer to the oldest DEI program in the federal government—the 8(a) program. <a href="https://t.co/c9iH8gcqG7" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pic.twitter.com/c9iH8gcqG7</a>
— Secretary of War Pete Hegseth (@SecWar) <a href="https://twitter.com/SecWar/status/2012302240594170106?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" target="_blank" rel="noopener">January 16, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
It works for everyone but taxpayers. The Beltway Bandit gets the contract without having to beat its rivals on price. A random minority gets a massive payday for brokering it. And the bureaucrats don&#8217;t have to go through the hassle of a competitive bidding process — they can just send the money immediately out the door.
Perhaps some government employees are overpaid, but contractors are milking the taxpayers for orders of magnitude more.
As Rosiak told the Senate, a man named Atul Kathuria bought one of the most expensive homes in the D.C. region after getting $43 million in no-bid contracts because he is&#8230; wait for it&#8230; a person from the country of India working in IT. He is no &#8220;slumdog millionaire&#8221; — he went to Georgetown University and worked at massive consultancy Booz Allen Hamilton before shattering the glass ceiling to become the first Indian IT guy.
The Small Business Administration is in charge of determining who gets the sought-after &#8220;socially disadvantaged&#8221; superpowers, and its leader Kelly Loeffler has made serious strides at attacking the fraud. She required 8(a)s to turn over an unprecedented amount of information, down to <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-just-ordered-beneficiaries-of-the-largest-dei-program-to-turn-over-all-financial-records?author=Luke+Rosiak&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Trump+Orders+All+Beneficiaries+Of+The+Largest+DEI+Program+To+Turn+Over+Internal+Financial+Records" target="_blank" rel="noopener">bank account statements</a> and payroll records. The payroll records alone will be enough to prove that many of these companies are merely shells.
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/feds-crack-down-on-minority-contracting-schemes-d-c-s-worst-kept-secret" target="_blank" rel="noopener">READ MORE:</a> <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/feds-crack-down-on-minority-contracting-schemes-d-c-s-worst-kept-secret" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Feds Crack Down On Minority Contracting Schemes, D.C.’s Worst-Kept Secret</a>
But the Department of War getting in on 8(a) reform is where the real money is. As Hegseth said, the Pentagon gives out 10 times as many 8(a) contracts as the next-largest agency. That&#8217;s because the Pentagon can give out up to $100 million contracts without competitive bidding if the business is &#8220;disadvantaged,&#8221; while at other agencies the limit is $4.5 million or $7 million.
A constellation of fly-by-night brokerage firms has sprung up to cash in on this — one or two black men, or even white women, who get contracts and &#8220;partner&#8221; with other companies to do the work. But the most notorious offenders are so-called &#8220;Super 8(a)s,&#8221; which can engage in even more seedy business dealings because, in the government&#8217;s eye, their owners have been even more oppressed: Those owned by Native American firms or Alaskan native tribes.
Here, again, we see how 8(a) is the Swamp that Donald Trump warned about. Alaska&#8217;s senators, both Republicans, are <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/alaska-republicans-secretly-working-to-protect-fraud-plagued-dei-program" target="_blank" rel="noopener">secretly lobbying</a> to preserve the DEI program–calling it, perversely, &#8220;conservative&#8221; and &#8220;market-based.&#8221;
We asked Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan how many people who worked at so-called &#8220;Alaskan&#8221; companies were actually Alaskan, and they wouldn&#8217;t say. These are firms like Bowhead, a multi-billion-dollar conglomerate whose <a href="https://www.bowhead.com/executive-team/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">leadership</a> is about as indigenous as Elizabeth Warren.
<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-1026861" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/01/bowhead-scaled.jpg" alt="" width="2560" height="1535" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/01/bowhead-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/01/bowhead-300x180.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/01/bowhead-961x576.jpg 961w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/01/bowhead-768x460.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/01/bowhead-1536x921.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/01/bowhead-2048x1228.jpg 2048w" sizes=" (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px" /></div>
&#8220;There are skyscrapers down the street in Tysons Corner, defense contractors working on advanced weapons, that don&#8217;t have to bid competitively for contracts because we say they&#8217;re Alaskan Native Corporations,&#8221; Rosiak testified to the Senate. &#8220;But every one of us here knows there aren’t native Alaskans in those buildings.&#8221;
The Alaskan senators gave away the game when they defended the program by praising the &#8220;flexibility&#8221; the 8(a) program offers.
&#8220;We consistently hear from top Pentagon officials that the 8(a) Program provides flexibility and timeliness in procuring weapons systems that strengthen our country,&#8221; they said.
At least they&#8217;re being honest. The purpose of 8(a) isn&#8217;t to help minorities, it&#8217;s to help lazy bureaucrats steer millions to big companies without having to fill out the paperwork.
If doing government procurement the right way takes too long, then fix that. But the 8(a) program must be abolished by Congress. Trying to stop the fraud is a fool&#8217;s errand; fraudsters will simply find more clever ways to hide the fact that they&#8217;re simply subcontracting out most of the work.
The courts have recently <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/new-lawsuit-could-topple-the-heart-of-race-based-federal-programs?author=Luke+Rosiak&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=New+Lawsuit+Could+Topple+The+Heart+Of+Race-Based+Federal+Programs" target="_blank" rel="noopener">made clear</a> that automatic racial preferences in contracting are illegal, a development celebrated by conservative lawyers. But if you ask us, it only makes the problem worse: The set-asides for &#8220;disadvantaged&#8221; companies are still enshrined in law, so now they&#8217;re awarded based on an even more vague and arbitrary system. We kid you not, companies can get no-bid contracts if they write an essay describing how they have been victims.
It&#8217;s time for Congress to scrap the antiquated, failed 8(a) laws. It has gone on for long enough, and thanks to Hegseth and reporters exposing the waste, America is onto the scam.

Defense Sec. Pete Hegseth Holds Pentagon Press Conference On Iran Strikes

Why Pete Hegseth Is Right To Take A ‘Sledgehammer’ To The 8(a) Scam

Pete Hegseth's 'Sledgehammer' To 

Minority Contracting

pete hegseth

Two Senate Republicans are standing in the way of efforts to eliminate a major DEI program that gives no-bid federal contracts to &#8220;socially disadvantaged&#8221; groups, a letter obtained by The Daily Wire shows.
Alaska Sens. Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan wrote to agencies saying that a race-based program that removes competition for federal contracts for racial minorities &#8220;has reflected conservative, market-based principles by empowering small businesses to compete, grow, and succeed.&#8221; They said a Republican request that agencies review past contracts for &#8220;potential fraud&#8221; was &#8220;premature&#8221; and &#8220;unsupported by established facts.&#8221;
The Trump administration&#8217;s Small Business Administration moved to <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/feds-crack-down-on-minority-contracting-schemes-d-c-s-worst-kept-secret" target="_blank" rel="noopener">rein in</a> the federal minority contracting program, known as 8(a), after a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/usaid-official-three-contractors-plead-guilty-to-half-billion-dollar-bribery-scheme" target="_blank" rel="noopener">black businessman bribed</a> a USAID official for half a billion dollars in contracts — a bribe the official could make good on only because contracts to minorities can be handed out at will instead of based on a showing of best value.
In October, James O&#8217;Keefe&#8217;s <a href="https://x.com/JamesOKeefeIII/status/1981042870460252398" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Citizen Journalism Foundation</a> captured officials from a white-led, but ostensibly Native American contractor, bragging about how they got a $100 million contract using minority preference and simply found someone else to do the actual work for a small portion of that. Follow-up reporting featured members of the Native American tribe bemoaning that outsiders were abusing the tribe&#8217;s name to <a href="https://x.com/jamesokeefeiii/status/1988770902243176767?s=42" target="_blank" rel="noopener">enrich</a> themselves, while tribe members lived in poverty.
Alaska Natives get even more preferential treatment than black, Hispanic, and Asian Americans, allowing them to run multibillion-dollar defense contractor companies while getting benefits initially designed for small, disadvantaged firms.
In December, Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA), chair of the Senate Small Business Committee, which has jurisdiction over the program, wrote to agencies <a href="https://www.ernst.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/12082025sba8aprogramfinalletters.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">asking them</a> to &#8220;immediately pause all 8(a) sole-source contracting&#8221; and &#8220;examine all 8(a) set-aside contracts awarded by your agency since FY 20 for any violation of laws and regulations,&#8221; noting that the Biden administration raised the goal for minority contracts to 15%.
For years, inquiries have flagged fraud and abuse in such arrangements, but Alaska Republicans have used their disproportionate power in the Senate to make the topic off-limits. The now-deceased Ted Stevens was an Alaska Republican who chaired the Senate&#8217;s Appropriations Committee for years, and Murkowski now sits on the committee.
Before the DEI craze captured Democrats, it wasn&#8217;t partisan to point out waste and abuse. In 2010, Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-MO) found abuse similar to what was highlighted by O&#8217;Keefe. But Murkowski &#8220;immediately sprung into action, lodging objections&#8221; to McCaskill&#8217;s effort to reform the program. McCaskill <a href="https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/article/mccaskill-retreats-attack-on-tribal-contracting" target="_blank" rel="noopener">folded</a>, but said, “Reform in this area is going to happen. It’s not a matter of if, but a matter of when.&#8221;
In the time since, little has changed. In 2011, The Washington Post reported that a D.C. lawyer named Paralee White had used the Alaska program to land more than <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/dc-insiders-can-reap-fortunes-from-federal-programs-for-small-businesses/2011/02/09/AB1NRJS_story.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">$500 million</a> in military contracts and pay her family members lavish salaries. The Post noted, &#8220;Significantly for White, the subsidiaries set up by the corporations to receive contracts did not have to operate in Alaska or even be run by natives. They just had to be 51 percent owned by Alaska Natives, and they could hire nonnative subcontractors to do much of the work.&#8221;
In <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/national/2010/09/30/bethesda-consultant-made-millions-with-alaska-firm/e9187e20-cc34-11df-8eee-2e1a26a3708e/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">another case</a>, a Bethesda, Maryland, man was paid $15 million to run an Alaskan government contractor for three years, while Alaska Natives received a total of $682,000 in dividends in 2009, or $305 each. The company won a contract to make military uniforms, which it manufactured in Puerto Rico instead of Alaska.
Sullivan and Murkowski did not publicize their letters to federal agencies, which goes against Republican orthodoxy when it comes to DEI and fraud and waste. A spokesman for Murkowski, Joseph Plesha, did not respond when The Daily Wire asked about the letter.
The inquiry asked: &#8220;Do you think the SBA and agencies have done a sufficient job rooting out abuse? If not, what are some examples that you&#8217;ve uncovered through your oversight? Do you support 8(a) for all minorities or only Alaskan natives?&#8221;
It also asked whether the type of Alaska Native Corporation that Murkowski holds up as a success includes Bowhead, virtually all of whose <a href="https://www.bowhead.com/executive-team/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">executives are white men</a>. Bowhead is technically an arm of an Alaskan tribe, but it is headquartered in the D.C. suburbs, and its family of high-tech defense contractors looks and operates like Northrop Grumman or Lockheed Martin — but without having to compete with them on price.
<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-1026861" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/01/bowhead-scaled.jpg" alt="" width="2560" height="1535" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/01/bowhead-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/01/bowhead-300x180.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/01/bowhead-961x576.jpg 961w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/01/bowhead-768x460.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/01/bowhead-1536x921.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/01/bowhead-2048x1228.jpg 2048w" sizes=" (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px" /></div>
A spokeswoman for Sen. Sullivan, Amanda Coyne, also did not respond to a Daily Wire inquiry requesting data showing that such firms were actually staffed by Alaska Natives.
The letter said the 8(a) program &#8220;reduces administrative burden, shortens acquisition timelines, and avoids the delays and litigation risks that often accompany large-scale procurements. Further, as two Senators who care about the readiness of our military, we consistently hear from top Pentagon officials that the 8(a) Program provides flexibility and timeliness in procuring weapons systems that strengthen our country.&#8221;
The reason that some government officials like using 8(a) contracting is that they do not have to bother with competing for the work, a process designed to get the highest quality and lowest cost. Instead, they can simply choose who they want to give it to. At times, that includes the implicit understanding that the supposedly disadvantaged firm will subcontract much of the work to a traditional firm.
The 8(a) program is also facing court challenges, particularly after recent Supreme Court decisions made it likely that elements of it are unconstitutional. Multiple injunctions have been put in place by judges, and a lawsuit by lawyers from the Center for Individual Rights and the Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty has recently been filed on behalf of white people who were left out in the cold.
Dan Lennington, the director of the Wisconsin group&#8217;s Equality Under the Law Project, told The Daily Wire, &#8220;There is simply no question that the 8(a) program has been the source of significant waste, fraud, and abuse. The program was designed for &#8216;economically disadvantaged&#8217; small business owners, yet our clients have reported that these limits are not enforced and easily evaded, meaning that high net-worth individuals often scoop up preferences and sole-source contracts.&#8221;
&#8220;Moreover, the Section 8(a) program has been tainted with unconstitutional racial preferences, including racial preferences for &#8216;Alaska Natives,&#8217; which Senators Murkowski and Sullivan undoubtedly support. Federal law defines this category based on &#8216;blood,&#8217; &#8216;bloodlines,&#8217; and &#8216;minimum blood quantum,&#8217; all of which constitute unconstitutional racial categorizations. SBA should vigorously enforce the President&#8217;s Executive Orders, which require all agencies to eliminate racial preferences, including those remaining in Section 8(a),&#8221; he continued.
Murkowski and Sullivan&#8217;s letter read:
<blockquote>Fraud, waste, and abuse have no place in federal programs, and any participant who violates the law should be held fully accountable. However, we write to express serious concern with recent, unsubstantiated attacks on the Small Business Administration&#8217;s (SBA) 8(a) Business Development Program and the request that federal agencies halt all 8(a) sole-source awards absent verified findings of wrongdoing.
On December 8, 2025, the Chair of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship sent letters to 22 federal agencies urging a pause on future 8(a) sole-source awards and a review of prior awards based on allegations of &#8220;potential fraud.&#8221; These requests are premature, unsupported by established facts, and risk significant harm to federal missions and thousands of compliant small businesses that lawfully participate in this program. Broad, sensationalized allegations leveled before the completion of any investigation amount to a presumption of guilt and undermine fundamental principles of due process.
For more than 40 years, the 8(a) Program, authorized under Section 8(a) of the Small Business Act, has been one of the federal government&#8217;s most effective tools for promoting entrepreneurship and economic mobility for disadvantaged communities. Participating firms routinely deliver high-quality, specialized services, achieve strong Contractor Performance Assessment Reporting System (CPARS) performance ratings, and provide agencies with cost-effective, timely procurement options. The program reduces administrative burden, shortens acquisition timelines, and avoids the delays and litigation risks that often accompany large-scale procurements. Further, as two Senators who care about the readiness of our military, we consistently hear from top Pentagon officials that the 8(a) Program provides flexibility and timeliness in procuring weapons systems that strengthen our country.
We fully support targeted, evidence-based oversight that identifies and removes bad actors. We cannot support sweeping actions that jeopardize thousands of legitimate businesses, many of which perform mission-critical work for your agency and others across the federal government.
Accordingly, we urge you to continue utilizing the 8(a) Program consistent with existing law and regulation, while allowing any appropriate reviews to proceed in an orderly and fact-driven manner. For decades, this program has reflected conservative, market-based principles by empowering small businesses to compete, grow, and succeed, rather than expanding government dependence on bureaucracy.</blockquote>
Editor&#8217;s note: Luke Rosiak <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/episode/luke-rosiak-testifies-at-us-senate-hearing" target="_blank" rel="noopener">testified</a> to the Senate Committee on Small Business about 8(a) contract abuse.

Sens. Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska, and Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska.

Alaska Republicans Secretly Working To Protect Fraud-Plagued DEI Program

General

U.S.

U.S. Senate

The Senate on Tuesday narrowly voted to confirm a Justice Department official who previously defended President Donald Trump during his criminal trials to the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.
Overcoming vigorous Democrat opposition, the Republican-led Senate confirmed acting deputy attorney general Emil Bove to the lifetime judicial position in a 50-49 vote. Republican Senators Lisa Murkowski (AK) and Susan Collins (ME) joined Democrats in voting against his appointment. 
“Congratulations to our dear friend Emil Bove on his confirmation to serve on the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals! This is a GREAT day for our country,” Attorney General Pam Bondi <a href="https://x.com/AGPamBondi/status/1950363578646544696">said</a> on X. “I cannot thank Emil enough for his tireless work and support at [the Justice Department]. He will be missed — and he will be an outstanding judge.”
Bove previously worked as Trump’s lawyer when the Biden administration prosecuted him over his alleged mishandling of classified documents and alleged election interference in the 2020 election. Bove also worked with Trump on the New York hush money case, where Trump was convicted of 34 felony counts of falsifying business records but given an unconditional discharge. Before working for Trump, Bove was a federal prosecutor for the Southern District of New York, working on drug and terrorism cases.
In the weeks after Trump nominated him to the judgeship, Democrats have pointed to numerous complaints against Bove from whistleblowers claiming that he instructed Justice Department officials to ignore judicial orders. Democrats were also critical of Bove’s role in the firing of some of the Justice Department lawyers who led the January 6 prosecutions and <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/doj-orders-charges-to-be-dismissed-against-nyc-mayor-eric-adams-on-certain-conditions">dismissal</a> of the federal case against New York City Mayor Eric Adams. 
Ahead of the confirmation vote, Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) <a href="https://www.judiciary.senate.gov/press/rep/releases/grassley-exhaustive-efforts-to-vet-emil-boves-nomination-prove-hes-fit-for-the-job">defended</a> Bove, accusing Democrats of trying to “weaponize” the whistleblower process. 
“He has a strong legal background and has served his country honorably. I believe he will be a diligent, capable, and fair jurist,&#8221; Grassley said. “It’s no surprise to anyone who’s followed this nomination that I have serious concerns with how my Democratic colleagues have conducted themselves. The vicious rhetoric, unfair accusations and abuse directed at Mr. Bove by some on this Committee has crossed the line.”
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) <a href="https://apnews.com/article/emil-bove-confirmation-whistleblowers-trump-republicans-democrats-71f92822cb2e8d57387748c2451fa724">claimed</a> that the confirmation was a “dark day” for the country. 
“It’s unfathomable that just over four years after the insurrection at the Capitol, when rioters smashed windows, ransacked offices, desecrated this chamber, Senate Republicans are willingly putting someone on the bench who shielded these rioters from facing justice, who said their prosecution was a grave national injustice,” he said.

Jury Continues Deliberations In Trump Hush Money Trial

Republicans Push Past Democrat Obstruction To Confirm Trump-Aligned Judge

chuck grassley

chuck schumer

congress

donald trump

Judges

President Donald Trump said Thursday that he would not support any Republican who voted against defunding the parent company of NPR and PBS in an upcoming bill that would enshrine DOGE cuts into law. 
Trump urged Republicans in the Senate to back a $9.4 billion rescission package already passed by the House, which would include more than $1 billion in reductions for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, the nonprofit that was created by Congress and is funded by the federal government but is not a governmental agency. The House passed the White House&#8217;s proposed package 214-212 last month, and the Senate is expected to vote next week. 
“It is very important that all Republicans adhere to my Recissions Bill and, in particular, DEFUND THE CORPORATION FOR PUBLIC BROADCASTING (PBS and NPR), which is worse than CNN &amp; MSDNC put together,” Trump posted on Truth Social. “Any Republican that votes to allow this monstrosity to continue broadcasting will not have my support or Endorsement. Thank you for your attention to this matter!”
The legislation <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/house-passes-doge-cuts-targeting-foreign-aid-npr-and-pbs">would cut</a> $8.3 billion in foreign spending, including funding for “Net Zero Cities” in Mexico, Iraqi “Sesame Street,” and global LGBTQ+ initiatives, as well as $1.1 billion from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. In May, Trump signed an <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/05/ending-taxpayer-subsidization-of-biased-media/">executive order</a> directing the Corporation for Public Broadcasting to stop funding NPR and PBS, saying the entities were deeply infected with leftwing bias. 
“The [Corporation for Public Broadcasting]’s governing statute reflects principles of impartiality: the CPB may not ‘contribute to or otherwise support any political party,’” the order says. “The CPB fails to abide by these principles to the extent it subsidizes NPR and PBS.  Which viewpoints NPR and PBS promote does not matter. What does matter is that neither entity presents a fair, accurate, or unbiased portrayal of current events to taxpaying citizens.”
NPR and several smaller publicly funded networks have challenged the order in court, <a href="https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.dcd.280953/gov.uscourts.dcd.280953.1.0_1.pdf">arguing</a> that it contradicts previous funding allocations made by Congress and violates the First Amendment. The courts have yet to issue a ruling on the suit, but parts of the argument could become moot if the Senate votes to pull the previously authorized spending. 
Some Republicans, including Sens. Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, have already voiced opposition to the proposed cuts. The Wall Street Journal <a href="https://www.wsj.com/politics/policy/trump-threatens-gop-senators-over-vote-on-doge-cuts-f5a86c19?utm_source=chatgpt.com">reported</a> that Senator Mike Rounds of South Dakota also indicated he was seeking an exemption for the funding of American Indian public radio stations.

Trump departs for Texas, calls deadly flooding ‘a horrible thing’

Trump Warns Republican Senators: Defund NPR And PBS Or Lose My Endorsement

Corporation for Public Broadcasting

DOGE

Public Broadcasting Service (PBS)

spending

The Senate voted Tuesday to pass the “One Big Beautiful Bill,” bringing President Donald Trump&#8217;s chief legislative package one step closer to the finish line.
The bill, which the House of Representatives passed in May, underwent some changes in the Upper Chamber. The bill now returns to the House, which will either pass the amended bill and send it to the president&#8217;s desk, or further revise the text. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) is hoping for the former.
&#8220;This bill is President Trump’s agenda, and we are making it law,&#8221; Johnson <a href="https://x.com/SpeakerJohnson/status/1940081814011367470" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>. &#8220;House Republicans are ready to finish the job and put the One Big Beautiful Bill on President Trump’s desk in time for Independence Day.&#8221;
Here are the biggest changes the Senate made to the bill.
<h3>The Name</h3>
Thanks to a last-second effort by Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY), the One Big Beautiful Bill Act is no longer called the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.
“I just got the name struck off this bill with a move on the floor of the Senate,&#8221; Schumer <a href="https://x.com/SenSchumer/status/1940080529413427340" target="_blank" rel="noopener">posted </a>on X. &#8220;It is no longer named &#8216;One Big Beautiful Bill.&#8217; The bill is a BIG, UGLY BETRAYAL of the American people by the Republicans.”
<h3>The AI Moratorium</h3>
Senators also stripped a provision from the bill that would have paused all state regulations of artificial intelligence for 10 years.
The provision was an early sticking point for the legislation. After voting for the bill, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) <a href="https://x.com/RepMTG/status/1929946902566494653" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>, “We have no idea what AI will be capable of in the next 10 years and giving it free rein and tying states&#8217; hands is potentially dangerous. … When the OBBB comes back to the House for approval after Senate changes, I will not vote for it with this in it.”
Senate Republicans originally tried to <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/republicans-scrap-deal-big-beautiful-bill-lower-restrictions-states-ai-regulation" target="_blank" rel="noopener">amend</a> the provision, lowering the time to five years and scrapping the absolute moratorium in favor of a few listed restrictions. But the deal fell through when the Senate voted 99-1 to strike the AI provision from the bill.
<h3>Public Land Sales</h3>
Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) voted to advance the bill after withdrawing a controversial provision that would have allowed the federal government to sell off public lands, largely in the West.
Lee said the provision — which had irked some <a href="https://x.com/TimSheehyMT/status/1939047707106038251" target="_blank" rel="noopener">other</a> Republican <a href="https://x.com/SenatorRisch/status/1939138126125113473" target="_blank" rel="noopener">senators</a> from Western states, and caused a stir among Democrats, too — had to be cut because the Senate&#8217;s strict budget reconciliation rules made it hard to guarantee that public land could not be sold to foreign countries or major companies instead of American families.
Still, Lee argued that the clause would have allowed for the federal government to sell off land for affordable housing and infrastructure.
&#8220;I continue to believe the federal government owns far too much land,&#8221; Lee said in a <a href="https://x.com/SenMikeLee/status/1939132778605388207" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a>. &#8220;Land it is mismanaging and in many cases ruining for the next generation.&#8221;
<h3>Murkowski&#8217;s Demands</h3>
The last Republican holdout, Senator Lisa Murkowski (Alaska), <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/01/us/politics/murkowski-republican-bill.html?smid=url-share" target="_blank" rel="noopener">secured</a> major changes — which she argued were beneficial to her constituents — before agreeing to vote yes.
The bill seeks to impose spending cuts on food stamps and Medicaid. Murkowski was worried that the strict cuts would disproportionately affect Alaska, which relies heavily on federal funding for those programs. Senators eventually agreed to exempt Alaska from potential changes to food stamps, and to increase federal funding for <a href="https://www.politico.com/live-updates/2025/07/01/congress/gop-boosts-rural-hospital-fund-00435147" target="_blank" rel="noopener">rural hospitals</a> by $25 billion over the next five years.
Senators also removed a controversial <a href="https://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/5379529-solar-wind-excise-tax-senate-gop-megabill/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">solar and wind tax</a> from the bill, hoping to appease Murkowski. The tax would have targeted solar and wind projects that used parts produced in China, among other things.
Despite the concessions, Murkowski walked away unhappy with the bill.
“My goal throughout the reconciliation process has been to make a bad bill better for Alaska, and in many ways, we have done that,” Murkowski <a href="https://x.com/lisamurkowski/status/1940124362625175934" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>. “But, let’s not kid ourselves. This has been an awful process.”

Trump’s Tax Bill Passes US Senate As Republicans Notch Major Win

Here Are The Major Things The Senate Changed In The Big, Beautiful Bill

artificial intelligence

Budget Bill

medicaid

mike johnson

mike lee

Senate Republicans

Conservatives celebrated on Thursday as the Senate voted 52-45 to confirm Harmeet Dhillon to a top Justice Department position.
Dhillon, a conservative lawyer who fought Biden’s COVID vaccine mandate, will now become the Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division of the DOJ. She was confirmed in a mostly partisan vote, with one Republican, Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, voting alongside Democrats against Dhillon’s confirmation.
Throughout her legal career, Dhillon has fought for free speech, religious liberty, and defended President Donald Trump when a group of leftist voters attempted to throw him off the ballot in Colorado during the 2024 election.
“I’m extremely honored by President Trump’s nomination to assist with our nation’s civil rights agenda. It has been my dream to be able to serve our great country, and I am so excited to be part of an incredible team of lawyers led by [Attorney General Pam Bondi]. I cannot wait to get to work!” Dhillon said after she was first nominated by Trump. “I would not be here today without my amazing mother and brother’s support, and my beloved father Tejpal and husband Sarv, who did not live to see this day. I hope I will honor their memories, with God’s grace.”
Conservatives celebrated Dhillon’s confirmation, saying that she was a welcome addition to the DOJ.
“Congrats to my former lawyer [Harmeet Dhillon] on her confirmation as Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights,” conservative activist Robby Starbuck <a href="https://x.com/robbystarbuck/status/1907922482050617740" target="_blank" rel="noopener">posted</a> on X. “No one will fight harder to ensure that EVERY American has their civil rights protected. A fearless champion for justice!”
The Dhillon Law Group, which was founded by Dhillon, posted a video featuring Daily Wire host Ben Shapiro and others congratulating her after the Senate vote wrapped up. 
“Hey Harmeet, I just want to say thank you so much for all the work you’ve done with Daily Wire to preserve free speech and free access to work and all the rest of the things that you’ve helped us with,” Shapiro said. “I can’t wait to see what you do at the DOJ. They put you in literally the perfect position to kick ass.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
BIG CONGRATULATIONS from all of us at the Dhillon Law Group to our founder and FORMER managing partner, <a href="https://twitter.com/HarmeetKDhillon?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@HarmeetKDhillon</a> on her confirmation today as the Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights. You’re going to do great things! <a href="https://t.co/wuBHIe9aBg">pic.twitter.com/wuBHIe9aBg</a>
&mdash; Dhillon Law Group (@dhillonlaw) <a href="https://twitter.com/dhillonlaw/status/1907921768565833761?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 3, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
One of Dhillon&#8217;s best-known cases was when she <a href="https://www.dhillonlaw.com/lawsuits/the-daily-wire-challenges-biden-administration-vaccine-mandate/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">represented</a> The Daily Wire in the legal fight that led to the Supreme Court blocking the Biden administration from enforcing a COVID vaccine mandate for private employers. With Dhillon’s help, The Daily Wire became the first major company to file a lawsuit against the emergency mandate in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit.

US-POLITICS-REPUBLICANS-RNC

Conservatives Cheer As Harmeet Dhillon Confirmed To Key Justice Department Role

civil rights

Executive

harmeet dhillon

vaccine mandate

Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) announced on Thursday that she would oppose the nomination of President Donald Trump&#8217;s nominee for Secretary of Defense, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/pete-hegseth" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Pete Hegseth</a>.
Murkowski, who finds herself at odds with large portions of the Republican base on occasion, said she made her decision after she &#8220;met with him and carefully reviewed his writings, various reports, and other pertinent materials.&#8221;
&#8220;I closely followed his hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee and gathered substantial feedback from organizations, veterans, and Alaskans,&#8221; she said. &#8220;After thorough evaluation, I must conclude that I cannot in good conscience support his nomination for Secretary of Defense. I did not make this decision lightly; I take my constitutional responsibility to provide advice and consent with the utmost seriousness.&#8221;
She praised Hegseth&#8217;s service in the U.S. military, but said that it did not &#8220;alleviate&#8221; her &#8220;significant concerns regarding his nomination.&#8221;
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Murkowski said she had concerns about his ability to navigate through &#8220;one of the most complex and powerful organizations in the world&#8221; due to its enormous size at more than 3 million employees.
She continued:
<blockquote>Although he has recently revised his statements on women in combat since being nominated, I remain concerned about the message that confirming Mr. Hegseth sends to women currently serving and those aspiring to join. Women have served our nation with distinction, overcoming immense obstacles to excel in combat and leadership roles, and they deserve to know that their leader honors and values their commitment to our nation.
While the allegations of sexual assault and excessive drinking do nothing to quiet my concerns, the past behaviors Mr. Hegseth has admitted to, including infidelity on multiple occasions, demonstrate a lack of judgment that is unbecoming of someone who would lead our armed forces. These behaviors starkly contrast the values and discipline expected of servicemembers. Men and women in uniform are held accountable for such actions, and they deserve leaders who uphold these same standards.</blockquote>
She believes that Hegseth&#8217;s nomination &#8220;poses significant concerns that I cannot overlook&#8221; given the current threat environment that the U.S. faces.
Murkowski faced backlash online immediately following the announcement, including widespread calls to face a primary challenger.
While Hegseth has owned up to some of his past behavior, he has vigorously denied allegations from unnamed sources who have accused him of sexual misconduct and having drinking problems.

Lisa Murkowski

First Republican Senator Comes Out Against Hegseth Nomination

On Wednesday, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/u-s-senate" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Senate</a> Republicans blocked a Democrat bill that sought to codify the right to access <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/contraception" target="_blank" rel="noopener">contraception</a> in federal law, with many arguing that it would infringe on religious and parental rights.
Fifty-one members, including two Republicans, <a href="https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_votes/vote1182/vote_118_2_00190.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener">voted</a> to advance the legislation — an insufficient number to reach the three-fifths majority needed to break the filibuster. Thirty-eight Republicans voted against moving forward. Nine other GOP members and <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/democrat-senator-bob-menendez-to-change-party-status-amid-his-corruption-trial" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sen. Bob Menendez (D-NJ)</a> did not vote.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) <a href="https://x.com/CraigCaplan/status/1798457646502261075" target="_blank" rel="noopener">switched</a> his vote to &#8220;Nay,&#8221; a move that allowed him to file a <a href="https://x.com/SenateCloakroom/status/1798455388783964209" target="_blank" rel="noopener">motion to reconsider</a> the failed cloture vote at some point in the future. He has set up a vote next week for an IVF bill with a <a href="https://www.democrats.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/transcript-majority-leader-chuck-schumer-delivers-remarks-at-press-conference-with-senate-democrats-after-senate-republicans-blocked-the-right-to-contraception-act" target="_blank" rel="noopener">stated goal</a> of putting Republicans on the record on reproductive rights.
<a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/senate-bill/4381/text" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The contraception bill</a>, introduced by Sen. Ed Markey (D-MA), would &#8220;protect an individual’s ability to access contraceptives and to engage in contraception and to protect a health care provider’s ability to provide contraceptives, contraception, and information related to contraception.&#8221;
Democrat lawmakers are pressing the birth control debate in a presidential election year. They argue Markey&#8217;s legislation is necessary because the 2022 Supreme Court decision that overturned Roe v. Wade — a ruling that returned the issue of abortion access to the states — also <a href="https://www.markey.senate.gov/news/press-releases/markey-hirono-duckworth-statement-on-the-right-to-contraception-act-floor-vote" target="_blank" rel="noopener">&#8220;threatened&#8221;</a> contraception.
Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL), who is <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/rick-scott-joins-race-for-senate-gop-leader" target="_blank" rel="noopener">running</a> to become the next leader of the Senate GOP, led 21 of his Republican colleagues in a <a href="https://www.rickscott.senate.gov/2024/6/sen-rick-scott-leads-colleagues-in-slamming-democrats-attacks-on-religious-freedoms-parental-rights-political-games-on-contraception" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a> that disparaged the contraception bill. Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL), considered a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-campaign-requests-documents-from-some-vp-contenders-report" target="_blank" rel="noopener">contender</a> for former President Donald Trump&#8217;s running mate in the 2024 election, was among them.
&#8220;There is no threat to access to contraception, which is legal in every state and required by law to be offered at no cost by health insurers, and it&#8217;s disgusting that Democrats are fearmongering on this important issue to score cheap political points,&#8221; the GOP lawmakers said.
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&#8220;This bill infringes on the parental rights and religious liberties of some Americans and lets the federal government force religious institutions and schools, even public elementary schools, to offer contraception like condoms to little kids,&#8221; they added. &#8220;It’s just another way for Democrats to use activist attorneys and our courts to advance their radical agenda and that is why we oppose this bill.&#8221;
The pair of GOP lawmakers who joined with the majority of Democrats and the independents who caucus with them voting to advance the legislation included Susan Collins (R-ME) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK).
&#8220;This is not a perfect bill,&#8221; Murkowski <a href="https://x.com/lisamurkowski/status/1798457352930357587" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> in a video posted to X. &#8220;This isn&#8217;t a bill that has gone through committee. Leader Schumer has decided that he&#8217;s just going to put it on the floor to move to it. That&#8217;s a lousy process, actually. This is unfortunately yet another messaging bill &#8230; but if it is going to be a messaging bill, I want my message to be very clear: that a woman should have a right to contraception.&#8221;

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and other senators Speak To The Press After The “Right To Contraception Act” Failed Passage

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