[ad_1]
Democrats on Rules will be a counterweight to the more conservative members of the panel.
[ad_2]
#House #Democrats #named #rosters #desired #committees #including #Rules #Committee
( With inputs from : www.politico.com )
Tag: committee
House Democrats named their rosters for the most desired committees, including the Rules Committee.
New GOP senator irks colleagues with Judiciary committee push
[ad_1]
“This is something the Missouri senators need to work out,” Blackburn said in an interview.
“I’m the only Republican woman on the Senate Judiciary Committee and I don’t intend to come off the committee,” she added.
Blackburn joined the panel after the GOP drew heat for having no female members during the confirmation of Justice Brett Kavanaugh. As for Schmitt, Blackburn said: “He needs to understand that these are decisions for the leader, for the committee on committees,” referring to a panel that handles committee apportionment and is run by Sens. Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) and Tim Scott (R-S.C.).
Senate Republicans will vote Wednesday on a waiver that would allow Schmitt to be on the Judiciary Committee, a necessary step since Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley already serves on the panel. But based on the current committee makeup, approving a waiver would threaten Tillis or Blackburn’s seat at the table on Judiciary and have a cascading effect, scrambling committee rosters across the board.
The topic came up at the Senate GOP lunch, where Tillis and Blackburn made clear that they have no interest in leaving the panel. Crapo encouraged senators to vote against the waiver, according to an attendee and a senior GOP aide. Tillis declined to comment on his conversation with Schmitt.
“Senator Schmitt and his team are continuing to have productive conversations as committee assignments are being worked out, and he will continue to fight for Missourians in the committees that he’s selected to serve on,” said William O’Grady, Schmitt’s press secretary.
Three weeks into the new Congress, the Senate has yet to officially organize its committees after Democrats increased their majority to 51-49 in the November election.
Under the GOP conference rules, a senator needs to request a waiver if a senator from his or her home state already sits on the panel, though the conference has previously voted to waive that rule on certain occasions. The Senate Judiciary Committee has had members from the same state serve on the panel before, including Texas GOP Sens. Ted Cruz and John Cornyn and former Utah GOP Sen. Orrin Hatch and Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah).
The Senate Judiciary Committee is home to some of the most contentious fights in Congress, overseeing Supreme Court confirmations and holding jurisdiction over tough political issues like immigration and abortion. It’s a particularly coveted panel for future presidential hopefuls, as its work attracts a media spotlight.
Schmitt argues he should be on the panel as a lawyer and former attorney general. Tillis and Blackburn are not attorneys, but the panel has a long history of elevating members outside the legal profession. Former chairs Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) do not have law degrees.
“As a former attorney general, it’s right in his wheelhouse,” Cornyn, a member of the Judiciary Committee, said of Schmitt. “Unfortunately because we’re in the minority and we’re losing the seat it creates a problem.”
Alexander Burns contributed to this report.
[ad_2]
#GOP #senator #irks #colleagues #Judiciary #committee #push
( With inputs from : www.politico.com )Trump tries to intervene as Navarro faces trial for defying Jan. 6 committee
[ad_1]
“This confirms President Trump’s position that, as one of his senior advisors, you had an obligation to assert executive privilege on his behalf and fully comply with the principles of confidentiality stated above when you responded to the Committee’s subpoena,” the attorney, Evan Corcoran, wrote on Trump’s behalf.
The letter appears calculated to undercut the ruling of U.S. District Court Judge Amit Mehta rejecting Navarro’s effort to dismiss the cases against him. Mehta noted in a 39-page opinion last week that Navarro had presented no evidence that Trump actually asserted executive privilege on his behalf — even though he made explicit assertions to block the testimony of other former aides.
“Defendant has failed to come forward with any evidence to support the claimed assertion of privilege,” Mehta wrote. “And, because the claimed assertion of executive privilege is unproven, Defendant cannot avoid prosecution for contempt.”
Mehta is unlikely to consider Corcoran’s letter sufficient to derail Navarro’s trial. Navarro had initially claimed in court arguments that Trump told him, during a private conversation, to assert executive privilege before the Jan. 6 committee. But Corcoran’s letter makes no reference to such an assertion.
It’s the second time Trump has made a last-second bid to disrupt the pending contempt trials for aides who defied the select committee. Days before longtime ally Steve Bannon faced a criminal trial for contempt, Trump took the opposite tack — writing a letter to Bannon waiving any potential executive privilege and clearing the way for Bannon to testify to the committee. Prosecutors dismissed the gambit as a stunt to disrupt the trial, and Bannon ultimately took no steps to actually comply with the select committee’s subpoena, even after Trump’s explicit permission.
Navarro, like Bannon, both claimed that they were categorically “immune” from appearing before the Jan. 6 committee to discuss their involvement in efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 election. They said their sensitive conversations with Trump were protected by executive privilege and therefore they could not be compelled by Congress to discuss them. But U.S. District Court Judge Carl Nichols rejected Bannon’s contention, noting that longstanding legal precedents don’t permit witnesses to defy congressional subpoenas even over assertions of executive privilege.
And in both cases, prosecutors noted that there was no evidence Trump had asserted privilege on Bannon or Navarro’s behalf.
[ad_2]
#Trump #intervene #Navarro #faces #trial #defying #Jan #committee
( With inputs from : www.politico.com )Committee formed to probe against WFI; Mary Kom, Yogeshwar Dutt included
[ad_1]
New Delhi: The Union Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports announced on Monday that the oversight committee formed to probe into the sexual harassment allegations levelled against the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) and its chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh will consist of five members, led by Olympic medalist Mary Kom.
The oversight committee will also administer and manage the day-to-day affairs of the wrestling body “as a purely interim measure”.
A letter from the Union Sports Ministry noted that wrestlers had made allegations of sexual harassment against the president, officials and coaches of the federation and the Ministry took a serious look into the matter and asked the federation for a reply within 72 hours on January 18. Following that, the WFI submitted its response to the ministry via a letter on January 20.
Also, the Ministry received information from prominent athletes, “which prima facie warrants certain action(s), and the Ministry is of the considered view that the Wrestling Federation of India has not discharged its duties with respect to redressal of players’ grievances and conduct of the business of the Federation in a professional manner.”
“Therefore, considering the unprecedented situation which calls for immediate measures to ameliorate the grievances of sportspersons, and to promote good governance in the WFI, the Ministry, in consonance with provisions of the National Sports Development Code of India, 2011 “Sports Code” and in compliance with the principles of the International Olympic Committee policy on safeguarding athletes from harassment and abuse in sports and the principles of Prevention of Sexual Harassment at the Workplace Act 2013, hereby instructs the Executive Committee of the WFI to abstain with immediate effect, as an interim measure, from administering and managing the day-to-day activities of the Federation, until further orders and hereby appoints an Oversight Committee as a purely interim measure,” read the letter by the Ministry.
The composition for the Oversight Committee was announced to be as follows”
-MC Mary Kom, boxer and Olympic medalist and chairperson of the Athletes Commission of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA)
-Yogeshwar Dutt, wrestler and Olympic medalist, a member of the Executive Council of IOA.-Dhyanchand awardee and former badminton player Trupti Murgunde.
-Sports Authority of India (SAI) member Radhica Sreeman
- ex-CEO Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) Cdr Rajesh Rajagopalan (Retd)
The following will be terms of reference for the Oversight Committee:
i. To enquire into the allegations of sexual misconduct, harassment and/or intimidation, financial irregularities and administrative lapses, levelled by prominent sportspersons;
ii. To undertake day-to-day administration of the Wrestling Federation of India.
iii. The Oversight Committee will complete the enquiry at the earliest, by four weeks.
Earlier, speaking to reporters in Kolkata on Sunday, Anurag Thakur said that the Centre has heard all the players pertaining to allegations levelled against the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh and added all the activities of the tournament were stopped immediately pending an inquiry by the probe committee.
“Assistant Secretary WFI was sacked and an oversight committee will begin an impartial probe so that everything gets clear,” Anurag Thakur said.
Meanwhile, the Wrestling Federation of India’s (WFI) Annual General Body Meeting (AGM), which was supposed to start at 10 am on Sunday in Ayodhya, was called off amid the ongoing battle between the wrestlers and its governing body in the country.
Following the wrestlers’ protest, this meeting was seen as being of utmost importance.
The development comes after the central government on Saturday evening suspended WFI Assistant Secretary Vinod Tomar. Along with this, the activities of WFI were immediately banned till the completion of the investigation into the allegations of the wrestlers.
After late-night parleys with the protesting star grapplers, Union Sports Minister Anurag Thakur on Friday night announced that Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh will ‘step aside’ from the day-to-day affairs of the WFI till the ‘oversight committee’ led by Olympian MC Mary Kom completes its inquiry into the allegations against him.
The probe committee has been given a mandate of four weeks to submit its report, the minister added.
The wrestlers, who were protesting at Jantar Mantar, called off their protest after a meeting with Union Sports Minister Thakur on Friday.
However, WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh refuted the allegations and claimed he would expose the ‘political conspiracy’ in a press conference in Uttar Pradesh’s Gonda.
Singh had earlier denied all allegations against him and said that the protesting wrestlers should have approached the Federation earlier.
Singh also claimed that 97 per cent of wrestlers were with the WFI and those who were taking part in the protests were pressured to do so. He also vehemently denied any incident of sexual harassment. “There has been no incident of sexual harassment. If such a thing has happened, then I will hang myself,” the WFI president said while addressing a press conference in the national capital on Wednesday. (ANI)
[ad_2]
#Committee #formed #probe #WFI #Mary #Kom #Yogeshwar #Dutt #included( With inputs from www.siasat.com )
- ex-CEO Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) Cdr Rajesh Rajagopalan (Retd)
Parliamentary Standing Committee travels in Hyderabad Metro
[ad_1]
Representative Image (Photo: Twitter) Hyderabad: A 14-member Parliamentary Standing Committee on Housing and Urban Affairs travelled by the Hyderabad Metro Rail.
The panel led by Rajiv Ranjan Singh visited Metro Rail facilities and also travelled from Raidurg to Ameerpet stations and back on Saturday night.
The committee comprising members of Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha has interacted with Hyderabad Metro Rail Limited (HMRL) Managing Director NVS Reddy and MD L&TMRHL, KVB Reddy and appreciated the successful operations of Hyderabad Metro for the past five years.
N.V.S. Reddy has informed the Committee members that the Hyderabad Metro Rail is the world’s largest Metro Rail project in public private partnership mode and shown several facilities being extended to the commuters.
The MDs have also shown them the shopping and other convenience stores in Ameerpet station which the members appreciated as useful to the commuters and at the same time generating revenue for the Concessionaire.
Reddy has also explained the highlights of the new Airport Metro Express project being constructed with 100 percent state government funds. He informed them that the survey and other pre-construction works are going on at a brisk pace and that the project would be grounded soon.
The other committee members who visited the metro rail facilities included R. Girirajan, Ram Chander Jangra, Kavita Patidar, Benny Behanan, Shankar Lalwani and Hasnain Masoodi.
Subscribe us on
[ad_2]
#Parliamentary #Standing #Committee #travels #Hyderabad #Metro( With inputs from www.siasat.com )
WFI chief to step aside till oversight committee investigates issue: Anurag Thakur
[ad_1]
New Delhi: Indian wrestlers called off their protest late on Friday evening after a second meeting at the Union Sports Minister Anurag Thakur’s residence in the national capital.
The meeting lasted beyond midnight, following which wrestler Bajrang Punia announced to the media that the other wrestlers are calling off the protest after assurance of action from Thakur against the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI).
The wrestlers have been staging a protest since Wednesday, accusing WFI President Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh of sexual harassment of women wrestlers, sponsorship fund embezzlement, and athletes’ mismanagement.
“After receiving the assurance from our Sports Minister, we have decided to call off the protest,” said Punia.
The meeting at the Sports Minister’s residence lasted for more than five hours after the wrestlers — Bajrang Punia, Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi Malik, Ravi Dahiya, Deepak Punia, and others — reached at 7 p.m.
Thakur said that his Ministry have listened to the grievances of the wrestlers and steps will be taken accordingly, while adding that demands of the wrestlers will be taken care of.
“I want to thank all the players as they have provided us with valuable inputs and our discussions have been about taking forward the sports. We have seen changes in multiple sports federations in the recent past and this will be looked upon,” he added.
“The demands put in by the wrestlers will be taken care of. We will constitute an oversight committee and will announce the name of members tomorrow.”
He assured that an unbiased probe will be carried by the oversight committee on all the accusations levelled against the WFI and its President with the latter stepping aside from his post.
“The committee will investigate all the serious allegations, including sexual harassment and financial irregularities. It will be investigated properly and the committee will take further decisions,” Thakur added.
“The committee will also look into the daily affairs of the federation and the WFI President will step aside till the probe goes on. He will also cooperate in the investigation,” the Sports Minister confirmed.
Bajrang Punia also added that Thakur has also ensured safety to the wrestlers as he hoped that the committee will conclude its investigation in a month’s time.
“Thank you everyone for your valuable support. Hopefully, the committee will give results in one month and we are hopeful of an independent investigation. Our security will be taken care of as assured by the Sports Minister,” he said.
[ad_2]
#WFI #chief #step #oversight #committee #investigates #issue #Anurag #Thakur( With inputs from www.siasat.com )
Judge denies Navarro effort to dismiss contempt case for defying Jan. 6 committee
[ad_1]
“Defendant has failed to come forward with any evidence to support the claimed assertion of privilege. And, because the claimed assertion of executive privilege is unproven, Defendant cannot avoid prosecution for contempt,” Mehta wrote in the 39-page ruling.
It’s a significant decision in an area with little precedent: what current and former presidents must do to assert executive privilege. Mehta acknowledged that there’s not much to guide how courts should determine when a proper assertion has been made. But he said limited court rulings on the subject suggest there must be at least some formal evidence it occurred.
Mehta noted that two other Trump aides whom the House sought to hold in contempt — Mark Meadows and Dan Scavino — produced letters from Trump ordering them to assert executive privilege on his behalf. The Justice Department declined to prosecute the men, and Mehta indicated that the absence of a similar letter from Trump to Navarro led to a reasonable conclusion that Trump had not asserted executive privilege over his testimony.
Mehta’s ruling means that Navarro’s trial on two charges of contempt of Congress is likely to commence later this month. He faces a maximum sentence of a year in prison on each charge — one for refusing to testify and the other for refusing to provide documents — if convicted.
The select committee had hoped to interview Navarro about his coordination with former Trump adviser Bannon and efforts to strategize with members of Congress seeking to challenge the 2020 election results on Jan. 6, 2021, during the counting of Electoral College ballots. The committee recommended that Navarro be held in contempt in April 2022, and the full House quickly followed suit. The Justice Department charged him in June.
Mehta’s ruling also gutted a series of defenses Navarro had hoped to raise at his trial, including that he had a “good-faith belief” that he was immune from the committee’s subpoena. Mehta also agreed to prohibit Navarro from arguing that the select committee’s subpoena was invalid because the panel didn’t have a full complement of 13 members or a ranking Republican member appointed by GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy.
Although he declined to say whether the committee was operating improperly, Mehta noted that Supreme Court precedent required Navarro to first raise his rules complaint with Congress itself. Because he didn’t do that, he effectively waived that argument. Navarro had argued that raising his complaints to Congress would have been “futile” because the House would have simply rejected them. But Mehta said the rules were clear.
“Neither the Supreme Court nor the D.C. Circuit has recognized a futility exception. … And, given the rationale of the rule, it is doubtful that higher courts would recognize one,” Mehta wrote.
The ruling essentially puts Navarro on a track similar to his close ally Bannon, who was tried and convicted of contempt of Congress in July. Bannon, like Navarro, had hoped to argue that he believed he was immune from testifying and that longstanding Justice Department precedents precluded Congress from subpoenaing advisers to former presidents. But in that case, U.S. District Court Judge Carl Nichols relied on a decades-old appeals court ruling — United States v. Licavoli — to reject Bannon’s proposed defenses, ruling that prosecutors simply needed to show that Bannon deliberately refused to appear before Congress.
Mehta cited the case, as well, in tossing most of Navarro’s defenses.
“Defendant apparently believes the law applies differently to him,” he wrote of Navarro. “Because he is a former aide to the President of the United States, he contends, a more stringent state-of-mind standard applies, meaning that the government must be held to a higher burden of proof to convict him as opposed to the average person.”
[ad_2]
#Judge #denies #Navarro #effort #dismiss #contempt #case #defying #Jan #committee
( With inputs from : www.politico.com )
