Political News Media

04/28/2023

-First Republic Bank to be taken over by FDIC: Report-

The FDIC has decided that the bank has no more time to pursue a private sector rescue.

First Republic Bank will be placed under the receivership of the U.S. Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation imminently, according to a report.

Reuters reported on Friday that the FDIC has decided that the regional bank's position has deteriorated, leaving no more time to go after a private sector rescue, a source told the outlet.

This is a developing story. Reuters contributed to this report.

04/27/2023

-Knicks advance to second round of NBA playoffs for first time in 10 years-

It's just the second series victory for New York since 2000.

For the first time in a decade, the New York Knicks won a playoff series.

The Knicks defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 5 on Wednesday, 106-95, to win their series, 4-1. It's also just their second series victory since 2000.

New York led by as many as 18 in the third quarter, but Cleveland cut it to a six-point deficit with just over eight minutes to go, but that's as close as they got. New York responded with a 6-0 run to get back up a dozen, and by the time Cleveland cut it to single digits again, it was too late.

New York made the playoffs in the 2020-21 season but fell to the Atlanta Hawks in five games. The following season was a disappointment as they missed out on the postseason for the eighth time in nine years.

However, Julius Randle and Jalen Brunson have carried the Knicks all year. In the regular season, Randle put up 25.1 points and 10.0 rebounds per game, earning his second All-Star nod through a love-hate relationship Knicks fans have with him.

But Brunson has been maybe the best free agent signing of the NBA this season. The guard came to New York after spending his first four seasons with the Dallas Mavericks and put up the best numbers of his career. His 24.0 points, 41.6 three-point percentage, and 6.2 assists in the regular seasons were all career-highs. He averaged 24.0 in the series as well.

The victory did not come without a big blow, as Randle re-aggravated an ankle sprain that kept him out of the Knicks' final five games of the regular season. Randle struggled this series, only averaging 14.8 points per game in the first four games of the series (he had 13 when he left the game in the second half).

New York knocked out Donovan Mitchell and crew despite an aggressive pursue of the guard in the offseason. The Knicks were the favorite to land the New York native from the Utah Jazz, and Mitchell has said he thought he was going to Manhattan up until he was traded to Cleveland New York ultimately backed out when they felt the compensation was too high.

But R.J. Barrett, whom Utah wanted in return, played a vital role in knocking out the player he was almost traded for. The 22-year-old, who's received criticism all year after a four-year, $100 million extension, averaged 22.0 points in the final three games of the series he scored just seven in Game 1. Brunson led the Knicks with 23 points.

In replace of Randle, Obi Toppin scored 12 points, and Mitchell Robinson was also a menace on the glass, scoring 13 points and grabbing 18 rebounds.

The Knicks will face the winner of the Milwaukee Bucks-Miami Heat series Miami, the eight seed, upset the top seeded Bucks, 4=1.

Now New York awaits the Miami Heat for a trip at the Eastern Conference Finals, which they have not made in 23 years.

04/27/2023

-Jimmy Butler's heroics leads to overtime winner as Bucks get knocked out of NBA Playoffs-

With two seconds left, Butler tossed a one-handed eight-footer in the paint to send the game to overtime.

Miami Heat fans are jumping with joy. Milwaukee Bucks fans are stunned and dejected. Either way, this Game 5 will be considered an instant playoff classic.

The Heat miraculously defeated the Bucks in overtime in Game 5, 128-126, which knocked the top seed in the Eastern Conference out in the first round as Miami takes the series 4-1.

And it was Jimmy Butler once again coming through with more clutch baskets when it mattered most.

With two seconds left on the clock and the Heat down two points, they needed to get a clean inbounds pass after calling a timeout and a shot up and in to at least force overtime. Butler was one of the main reasons the Heat were in this position in the first place, using his clutch gene to get bucket after bucket in the fourth quarter to drive his team back into it. The Bucks at one point were leading by double digits.

Gabe Vincent threw the ball in the air on a designed play to Butler down in the paint, and what transpired was something out of a video game. Frankly, even a video game might not have this shot hard-wired in.

Butler caught the pass one-handed, and all in the same motion, tossed it toward the hoop. The arena was left stunned when it fell in with just half a second left on the clock.

Overtime saw a lot of missed baskets on both sides, but the Heat did what was necessary to close out the comeback and move on to the next round.

They will go on to face the New York Knicks in the second round.

One game removed from dropping 56 points, Butler finished this one with 42 points on 17-of-33 shooting with eight rebounds, four assists, two steals and one block. There is no doubt Butler's performance in this series carried the Heat to the upset.

But he wasn’t alone in this one. Center Bam Adebayo had a triple-double with 20 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists for the Heat in the victory. Vincent also dropped 22 points, hitting a clutch three-pointer late in the fourth quarter as well to aid in the comeback.

The Bucks’ two biggest stars Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton each did their jobs, but it wasn’t enough in the end. Antetokounmpo had 38 points for the Bucks with 20 rebounds.

However, he left 13 points at the charity stripe, going 10-of-23 from the free throw line despite an efficient 14-for-27 from the field.

Middleton was a perfect 9-of-9 from the line while shooting 10-of-24 for 33 points with six rebounds and six assists.

No time has been set for the Heat-Knicks series to begin, but one thing is for sure: New York better be ready for Butler, who is taking the team name on his jersey very serious this postseason.

04/27/2023

04/27/2023

After Tucker’s firing, Fox ratings drop as NEWSMAX skyrockets!! Make the switch to NEWSMAX now!!

04/27/2023

-T'Wolves' Anthony Edwards cited for assault for allegedly striking 2 women with folding chair after Game 5-

Edwards was swinging a chair before running to the locker room.

Minnesota Timberwolves All-Star Anthony Edwards has been charged with assault after his actions following a Game 5 loss to the Denver Nuggets at Ball Arena Tuesday night.

Edwards had a chance to send the game to overtime with the last shot of the game. He missed on a clean look. The Nuggets won the series four games to one, and Edwards was clearly frustrated with himself after missing the shot.

He was waving around a folding chair as he went to the tunnel toward the locker room. And two women working at Ball Arena told the Denver Police Department he struck them while swinging the folding chair.

"Anthony Edwards was cited for third-degree assault after the game Tuesday night," Denver Police told Political News Media. "It was reported to Denver Police that while Edwards was walking from the court to the locker room at the conclusion of the game, he swung a folding chair and struck two women who were working at the time. Both women were injured, and, at the time, it was reported that the injuries were not serious."

The Timberwolves released a statement about the incident.

"We are aware of the alleged incident regarding Anthony Edwards following Game 5 in Denver and are in the process of gathering more information. We have no further comment at this moment," the Timberwolves' statement said.

It was a frustrating end to the season for Minnesota. The Timberwolves went back and forth with Denver all night before that final shot Edwards missed.

Edwards finished the night with 29 points on 13 of 27 shooting, though he was 0-for-6 from 3-point territory, including the shot at the final buzzer. He also had eight rebounds and seven assists with two blocks

04/27/2023

-Jack Teixeira: Air Force suspends two commanders from accused classified docs leaker's unit-

Jack Teixeira, 21, was charged with unauthorized retention and transmission of national defense information and willful retention of classified documents.

Two officers who were in command of Jack Teixeira, the Massachusetts Air National Guardsman who is accused of leaking intelligence documents over a social platform, have been temporarily suspended, the U.S. Air Force said.

According to Air Force Spokesperson Ann Stefanek, the Air Force suspended two commanders of his unit and temporarily removed their access to classified systems and information.

"The commander of the 102nd Intelligence Wing at Otis Air National Guard Base, Massachusetts, has suspended the commander of the 102nd Intelligence Support Squadron pending further investigation into the unauthorized disclosure of classified information," Stefanek said in a statement to Political News.

The Air Force also suspended the detachment commander overseeing administrative support for airmen at the unit.

"This means that both the squadron's state Air National Guard operational commander and current federal orders administrative commander have been suspended pending completion of the Department of the Air Force Inspector General Investigation. Also, the Department of Air Force has temporarily removed these individuals' access to classified systems and information," the Air Force spokesperson said.

Stefanek added: "Commanders are taking appropriate action as information becomes available. All suspensions are temporary pending further investigation."

The suspensions come amid an investigation into one of the largest classified intelligence leaks in U.S. history as Teixeira, 21, allegedly took information from classified documents and shared them over Discord, a social app primarily used by the gaming community, to potentially hundreds of people.

The app allows users to set up individual servers or join other existing servers that can range in size from just a few privately invited members to larger servers with hundreds of thousands of members.

Teixeira, who worked as a cybersecurity journeyman for the Air National Guard, is accused of initially sharing typed-out classified information over messages in a small, private server called Thug Shaker Central, which had about 50 members before he provided photos of classified documents.

He held a top-secret information security clearance, granted to him by the federal government.

Members of the private group have since come forward to media outlets to say they viewed the intelligence documents.

Teixeira was later accused of sharing the information, which included details about troop movement in Russia’s war with Ukraine, with a larger, public server with hundreds of members.

He was arrested at his home in North Dighton, Mass., on April 13 following an FBI investigation into the "alleged unauthorized removal, retention and transmission of classified national defense information."

Teixeira has been charged with unauthorized retention and transmission of national defense information and willful retention of classified documents.

04/26/2023

-House passes McCarthy’s debt ceiling bill by two votes, four Republicans vote against-

House passage sends the bill to the Democrat-led Senate, which opposes it along with President Biden.

House Republicans delivered Speaker Kevin McCarthy the biggest win of his tenure leading the chamber so far on Wednesday by passing his bill to raise the debt limit and slash spending, a bill that serves as the GOP's position on how to avoid a debt crisis in the coming weeks.

The bill passed in a narrow 217-215 vote. Every Democrat voted against it, as expected, along with four Republicans – Andy Biggs of Arizona, Tim Burchett of Tennessee, Ken Buck of Colorado and Matt Gaetz of Florida.

Republicans cast the vote as a win that puts them in the driver's seat in negotiations they hope can happen with President Biden in the coming weeks. Biden has refused to entertain anything other than a clean increase in the debt ceiling, while Republicans insist he should agree to some trimming in the federal budget as a condition of raising the government's borrowing limit.

"If President Biden's got a better idea, it's long past time he puts those ideas on the table," House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., said Wednesday on the House floor. "This is not a problem you run and hide from. In fact, when you asked to be president of the United States, you're the commander in chief. You're the leader of the free world… This is not a job where you run and hide from the tough things. These are the moments where you step up."

Without some agreement to raise the debt ceiling, the federal government is at risk of not being able to pay its bills sometime around early June.

The House vote came after several dissenting GOP lawmakers gradually fell in line behind McCarthy on Wednesday after spending hours in the Speaker’s office the day before.

Rep. Nancy Mace, for example, who told reporters she was unhappy with the legislation and how leaders went about cobbling it together on Wednesday morning, emerged from McCarthy’s office later that afternoon singing a different tune.

"We had a very productive meeting, it was very good. I feel like our voice has been heard, and that we’re going to work on this together going forward," said Mace, R-N.C.

All four members of the Iowa House delegation, all Republicans, released a joint statement hours before the vote announcing their intent to support the bill. They were part of a group of about seven or eight lawmakers from the "corn belt" who were concerned about the initial bill’s repeal of tax credits that would impede ethanol production in their state.

"Having successfully amended the bill to protect funding for these tax credits, our delegation will vote for this legislation, which is a starting point to avoid a default and cut wasteful spending," the statement read.

GOP leaders tweaked the bill overnight to assuage concerns from key Republican factions who appeared ready to oppose it on Tuesday. The changes soften their repeal of the biofuel tax credits and move the legislation’s planned activation of work requirements for federal benefits up from 2025 to 2024.

It was also enough to win over Reps. Derrick Van Orden, R-Wis., and George Santos, R-N.Y., who both announced they were solid "yes" votes on the bill.

The Limit, Save, Grow Act aims to raise the debt limit by $1.5 trillion or through the end of March 2024, whichever benchmark is hit first. It also caps spending increases to 1% for the next decade. Meanwhile, in addition to the aforementioned cost-saving measures, it also caps discretionary spending at fiscal 2022 levels.

The legislation faces an uphill battle in the Senate, however, where Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., has criticized House Republicans for trying to pair spending cuts with raising the debt limit.

Similarly, Biden threatened to veto the bill if it comes to his desk, and on Wednesday refused again to negotiate spending cuts in conjunction with a debt limit increase. That position was backed up by House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., who accused Republicans on the House floor of presiding over "exploding deficits" and going down "a dangerous path" with their legislation.

04/26/2023

-Documents of Babe Ruth's sale to Yankees auctioned for $312,000, more than triple what slugger was sold for-

Ruth was sold to Yankees for $100,000 in 1920.

The Boston Red Sox sold Babe Ruth to the New York Yankees in 1920 for $100,000.

Over a century later, the paperwork that made that deal official was auctioned off for more than double that number.

The documents that marked the sale of Ruth to the Bronx Bombers were auctioned through Lelands for more than $312,000.

Ruth emerged in the big leagues as an elite pitcher with the Red Sox when he made his MLB debut in 1914 but soon became a huge presence in the batter's box and became arguably the best slugger the game has ever seen.

Ruth won three World Series with the Red Sox, but after the 1919 season, the Sox dealt Ruth to the Yankees, igniting the greatest rivalry in sports and starting The Curse of the Bambino. The Red Sox did not win a World Series between selling Ruth and 2004.

Boston's World Series win in 2004 came after it overcame a 3-0 deficit to the Yankees, the first, and still only, time a team has won a series after trailing three games to none.

The deal was officially announced Jan. 6, 1920, and Ruth became the best Yankee and arguably the best player of all time.

In 1920, Ruth hit 54 home runs while 22 teams didn't even combine to hit that many. The Philadelphia Phillies hit 64 as a team, the second-most in baseball.

In 1927, Ruth hit 60 homers, an American League record that lasted until 1961 when Roger Maris hit 61. Aaron Judge broke that record last season.

Ruth's .690 slugging percentage and 1.164 OPS are both the best marks in baseball history.

The Red Sox won four World Series from 2004 to 2018. The Yankees have won just one since 2000.

04/26/2023

-GOP mega-donor Peter Thiel won't fund any 2024 candidates: report-

Tech billionaire previously supported Trump's presidential bid.

Thiel previously criticized the Republican Party ahead of the November midterm elections for failing to promote a clear-cut message on what they were in favor of.

The tech billionaire spoke to a crowd at the National Conservatism Conference in early September, saying Republicans were too focused on opposing progressive policies while failing to provide real alternatives. Thiel also proposed the party push for a more "positive agenda."

"My scoring on the 2022 cycle is that we're doing even less well than ‘94 with the Contract for America," Thiel said at the time. "We’re doing less well than 2010, the Tea Party stuff… we're leaning way too far into pure nihilistic negation."

Thiel previously backed Ron Paul in 2012 and later donated $1.25 million to Trump's campaign efforts in 2016, according to Reuters. Trump is currently the 2024 GOP front-runner.

Thiel made headlines in March during the Silicon Valley Bank collapse after being accused by critics of contributing to the run on the bank that led to its downfall. The accusations came amid reports that his firm, Founders Fund, had pulled all of its money from the bank and warned its portfolio companies ahead of the collapse.

"I had $50 million of my own money stuck in SVB," Thiel told the Financial Times last month.

The outlet reported that Thiel did not draw down from his account as he believed the bank would not fail. His account was then frozen when the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation stepped in and took over the bank.

04/26/2023

-Citi exec who met with Jeffrey Epstein out of job-

Citigroup senior executive reportedly maintained Epstein connection while working with rival JPMorgan.

A Citigroup senior executive has been let go just days after reports surfaced that he previously met with disgraced financier and s*x criminal Jeffrey Epstein.

Citigroup dismissed Paul Barrett after learning the senior executive met with Epstein while working for rival bank JPMorgan, according to a report from The Wall Street Journal.

"Until recently, Citi was unaware of Paul Barrett's association with Jeffrey Epstein, which predated his employment at our firm," the bank told the Financial Times. "Mr. Barrett is no longer employed by Citi."

Barrett met with Epstein at least five times between 2014 and 2017 while working at JPMorgan, according to the WSJ.

Epstein pleaded guilty in 2008 to soliciting a pr******te and soliciting prostitution from a minor.

JPMorgan Chase has come under intense fire after it was discovered the multinational bank continued to collaborate with Epstein after his first s*x crime conviction.

JPMorgan Chase boss Jamie Dimon will be deposed under oath in connection with the bank's relationship with Epstein, a lawyer involved in the case said.

Reuters reports the interview is expected to happen in early May, according to Brad Edwards, a lawyer representing women who claim to have been s*xually abused by Epstein.

The women are suing the largest U.S. bank for allegedly enabling the financier's s*x trafficking.

JPMorgan has tried to dismiss the lawsuit, noting the Virgin Islands government has already settled with Epstein's estate for more than $100 million.

Epstein allegedly killed himself in a Manhattan jail cell in August 2019 while awaiting trial for s*x trafficking.

04/26/2023

-Disney sues Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis over loss of special district-

Disney alleges that DeSantis led a 'targeted campaign of government retaliation' against the company that violates its constitutional rights.

Disney is suing Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis after the state revoked its self-governing authority in a highly publicized feud over the company's political activities.

Walt Disney Parks and Resorts U.S., Inc., filed a complaint in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida on Wednesday, alleging DeSantis orchestrated a "targeted campaign of government retaliation" against the company that violates Disney's free speech rights. The lawsuit came after a board appointed by DeSantis to govern the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District which houses the Walt Disney World resort voted to nullify two development contracts Disney signed in February.

Disney, one of Florida's largest employers, said the nullified contracts "laid the foundation for billions of Disney's investment dollars and thousands of jobs."

"This government action was patently retaliatory, patently anti-business, and patently unconstitutional," the complaint states. "But the Governor and his allies have made clear they do not care and will not stop."

Taryn Fenske, the communications director for DeSantis, said, "We are unaware of any legal right that a company has to operate its own government or maintain special privileges not held by other businesses in the state."

"This lawsuit is yet another unfortunate example of their hope to undermine the will of the Florida voters and operate outside the bounds of the law," said Fenske.

The lawsuit now involves courts in a battle between DeSantis and Disney that began when the House of Mouse campaigned to overturn Florida's Parental Rights in Education law, which detractors misleadingly labeled the "Don't Say Gay" bill. DeSantis, widely expected to run for president in 2024, responded by pushing the Florida legislature to strip Disney's self-governing authority and create a new board, full of his appointees, which now has control over the theme park's development.

However, before the new board took control, Disney pushed through changes to the special tax district agreement that limited the board's action for decades.

The DeSantis board on Wednesday said Disney’s move to retain control over their property was effectively unlawful and performed without proper public notice.

"Disney picked the fight with this board. We were not looking out for a fight," said Martin Garcia, chair of the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District, adding "bottom line, what our lawyers have told us, is factually and legally what they created is an absolute legal mess. It will not work."

Disney is asking the court to declare the legislature's actions "unlawful and unenforceable." The company points to statements DeSantis made in April suggesting that Florida should tax Disney's hotels, put "tolls on the roads," and even build a "state prison" next to Walt Disney World as evidence of targeted retaliation.

"Disney regrets that it has come to this. But having exhausted efforts to seek a resolution, the Company is left with no choice but to file this lawsuit to protect its cast members, guests, and local development partners from a relentless campaign to weaponize government power against Disney in retaliation for expressing a political viewpoint unpopular with certain State officials," the company said in its complaint.

04/26/2023

-Former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson launches White House bid, joining Donald Trump in growing GOP 2024 field-

The field of Republican presidential contenders continues to grow, with Hutchinson joining Trump and Haley in the 2024 White House race.

Former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson is formally jumping into the race for the White House, joining a growing field of contenders taking on former President Donald Trump in the battle for the 2024 GOP presidential nomination.

Hutchinson on Wednesday announced his candidacy for president at a campaign launch event in his hometown of Bentonville, Arkansas.

"In this campaign for president, I stand alone in terms of my experience, record, and leadership," Hutchinson said in prepared remarks shared with Political News Media. "From Congress to DEA to Homeland Security, I have served our country in times of crisis. As governor of Arkansas, we cut taxes and created record surpluses."

Hutchinson outlined his credentials as a conservative whose "mettle has been tested" over his decades of political service.

A former federal attorney turned two-term congressman who served as Drug Enforcement Administration administrator and Department of Homeland Security undersecretary during then-President George W. Bush’s administration, Hutchinson has long showcased that he’s a "consistent conservative."

Hutchinson, who steered the National Governors Association last year, had been mulling a 2024 White House run for months. He told Political News Media interview last summer that he wanted a role in helping to shape the future of the GOP and "that might lead to a presidential campaign down the road."

Hutchinson left office in Arkansas in January due to term limits, and was succeeded by Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, the former White House press secretary during then-President Trump's administration and the daughter of former longtime Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee.

As he concluded his tenure as governor earlier this year, Hutchinson made back-to-back trips to Iowa, the state that for a half century has kicked off the presidential nominating calendar. And he's returned to Iowa a handful of times the past couple of months. He’s also made visits over the past year to New Hampshire and South Carolina, which vote second and third in the GOP primary order.

On Saturday, addressing an influential crowd of evangelical voters at a major gathering of the Iowa Faith and Freedom Coalition, Hutchinson gave a preview of his campaign launch, saying "I can stand here today and say that I am a candidate for president in 2024."

Asked how he could compete with bigger names larger war chests, such as Trump and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who’s seriously mulling a White House run, Hutchinson sad in a Political News Media interview that "hard work is a big part of it and you increase name identification by being out in the communities, by raising money, being on the television and communicate in every which medium which you can. So that will happen over the course of time. The debates are an important part of the ability to get your message out as well"

"I’m not worried about where we are now. This is a long runway. We’ve got time to build the name identification and I look forward to the opportunity to engage in retail politics that means so much here in Iowa," he emphasized.

Hutchinson's prepared remarks didn't mention any rumored or actual GOP candidates for president. But he did compare Arkansas' record during the COVID-19 pandemic.

"When I had pressure from Washington and the national media to shelter in place, I said ‘no.’ And the result was that our businesses survived and we had more days of in-classroom instruction during the pandemic than almost any other state. Yes, that’s right... we beat Florida!" Hutchinson said.

Hutchinson is a vocal GOP critic of Trump. Pointing to the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol by Trump supporters aiming to upend congressional certification of President Biden’s 2020 victory over Trump, which the then-president has been accused of fueling, Hutchinson told Political News Media. "I do believe that he disqualified himself and should not serve our country again as a result of what happened."

Longtime Republican consultant Ryan Williams noted that the 72-year old Hutchinson "has a long record in public service serving in the both the House and executive branch of the federal government and as a governor. He can run a campaign on being a competent executive, serving our country in Congress and in the Department of Homeland Security."

But Williams, a veteran of multiple GOP presidential campaigns, said that "unfortunately for Hutchinson, the base of the party that turns out in primaries doesn’t really value experience. He’s not particularly exciting and he doesn’t really stand out for any one thing in particular in a crowded field of candidates… He’s someone who’s been around politics for a long time and his time is likely behind him at this point."

For Hutchinson, the location of his campaign kick-off was telling.

"It means a lot for me to do my formal announcement in my hometown of Bentonville. That’s where I first practiced law. That’s where I was city attorney. I tried cases there. I built an FM radio station there in Bentonville, but most importantly, that’s where I started by family," the former governor told Fox News. "These are my roots and it’s important for a national audience to understand where I come from and very humble roots, but Bentonville illustrates how you can start small and you can be a success and it tells the American story."

04/26/2023

-House to vote Wednesday on debt ceiling, spending cut bill despite potential GOP holdouts-

House GOP leaders attempted to woo remaining holdouts with an overnight amendment.

Senior Republican lawmakers emerged from their closed-door conference meeting Wednesday morning confident that House Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s bill to increase the federal government's borrowing limit and cut federal spending will pass the House in a vote later today.

McCarthy told reporters he expected the vote to come today but did not say whether he had 218 votes to get it over the line. With his razor-thin majority, McCarthy can afford to lose four GOP votes at most to pass what's shaping up to be his largest test as Speaker yet.

House Rules Committee Chair Tom Cole, R-Okla., told reporters "I do" when asked if he thought there would be a vote on the bill today, after his panel led a six-hour hearing overnight to get the bill ready for the floor.

GOP leaders tweaked the bill overnight to assuage concerns from key Republican factions who appeared ready to oppose it on Tuesday. The changes would soften their repeal of biofuel tax credits a significant concern for midwestern Republicans whose districts rely on ethanol production and move the legislation’s planned activation of work requirements for federal benefits up from 2025 to 2024.

Rep. Randy Feenstra, R-Iowa, among the corn belt Republicans who met with McCarthy yesterday over his concerns with the bill, was a firm "yes" vote as of Wednesday morning, as was Rep. Derrick Van Orden, R-Wis.

"McCarthy is showing leadership. He listened to the conference," Van Orden told reporters when exiting Wednesday morning’s meeting.

But other defectors, like Reps. Nancy Mace, R-S.C. and Tim Burchett, R-Tenn., said they were still leaning against the legislation.

"I'm still leaning no on the bill," Mace told reporters. "We have an opportunity here to show the nation we can be responsible with spending, and looking at those reforms and the bylaws that leadership support and I spoke with them this morning and we'll see where that conversation goes today."

"I said I'm a no to leadership," said Burchett, who fumed on Tuesday about GOP negotiators skipping out on a planned meeting with him without prior notice. "I'm a no and come see me if they want to talk about it."

He told reporters he would meet with party leaders today but he "just can't get past $32 trillion in debt." Asked by Political News Media what he'd want to hear from leadership if he's a hard no, Burchett said, "true debt reduction."

Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., would not tell reporters how he plans to vote but complained about the hasty nature of the bill's changes.

House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., declared at a press conference after the closed-door meeting, "We'll be ready to move as early as today… we want to get this done as soon as possible, but more importantly, we want President Biden to finally start getting engaged in this process."

The bill is highly unlikely to pass the Democratically-held Senate, and if it did, the president has already threatened to veto it if it gets to his desk. But Republicans hope the bill stakes out the GOP position for talks with Democrats in the coming weeks.