House Republicans formally authorize Biden impeachment inquiry: The Morning Rundown, Dec. 14, 2023

HOUSE REPUBLICANS HAVE FORMALIZED THEIR IMPEACHMENT INQUIRY INTO PRESIDENT BIDEN

AND — META’S LATEST ATTEMPT AT FACT CHECKING SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS IS FACING CRITICISM

THE MORNING RUNDOWN STARTS NOW.

TODAY IS THURSDAY, DECEMBER 14TH

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I’M KARAH RUCKER.

HOUSE REPUBLICANS HAVE VOTED TO FORMALIZE THEIR IMPEACHMENT INQUIRY INTO PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN – DIRECTING THREE HOUSE COMMITTEES TO CONTINUE THEIR INVESTIGATION INTO WHETHER THE PRESIDENT HAD TIES TO HIS SON’S FOREIGN BUSINESS DEALINGS.

ALL REPUBLICANS VOTING YES TO THE RESOLUTION AND ALL DEMOCRATS VOTED NO.

HOUSE REPUBLICANS CALLED FOR WEDNESDAY’S VOTE — AFTER THE WHITE HOUSE CHALLENGED SUBPOENAS SENT BY THE COMMITTEES – CALLING THEM ILLEGITIMATE WITHOUT A FORMAL HOUSE VOTE TO AUTHORIZE THE INVESTIGATION.

REPUBLICAN LEADERSHIP INCLUDING SPEAKER MIKE JOHNSON SAID VOTING IN FAVOR OF THE RESOLUTION DOES NOT MEAN THE PRESIDENT WILL BE IMPEACHED.

JOHNSON SAYING QUOTE “WE’RE NOT GOING TO PREJUDGE THE OUTCOME OF THIS.”

THE WHITE HOUSE RESPONDED TO THE VOTE – CALLING IT A POLITICAL STUNT – AND SAYING THE REPUBLICANS HAVE ALREADY RECEIVED THOUSANDS OF DOCUMENTS INCLUDING HOURS OF TESTIMONY AND HAVE NOT FOUND ANY EVIDENCE.

HOURS BEFORE THE VOTE – THE PRESIDENT’S SON – HUNTER BIDEN – DEFIED A SUBPOENA FOR A CLOSED-DOOR DEPOSITION. INSTEAD HE SPOKE TO REPORTERS OUTSIDE THE U.S. CAPITOL – WHERE HE REPEATED HIS OFFER TO TESTIFY IN A PUBLIC HEARING – WHILE CRITICIZING THE HOUSE GOP AND DEFENDING HIS FATHER.

“LET ME STATE AS CLEARLY AS I CAN. MY FATHER WAS NOT FINANCIALLY INVOLVED IN ANY OF MY BUSINESS — NOT AS A PRACTICING LAWYER, NOT AS A BOARD MEMBER OF BURISMA, NOT IN MY PARTNERSHIP WITH A CHINESE PRIVATE BUSINESSMAN, NOT IN MY INVESTMENTS AT HOME NOR ABROAD, AND CERTAINLY NOT AS AN ARTIST.”

HOUSE OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN JAMES COMER SAID HE PLANS TO HOLD HUNTER BIDEN IN CONTEMPT OF CONGRESS.

STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS’ POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT RAY BOGAN HAS A FULL REPORT ON HUNTER BIDEN’S COMMENTS ON S-A-N DOT COM.

ON WEDNESDAY THE SENATE PASSED AN 886 BILLION DOLLAR DEFENSE POLICY BILL.

THE BILL AUTHORIZES A FIVE POINT TWO PERCENT PAY RAISE FOR TROOPS — THE BIGGEST IN MORE THAN TWO DECADES.

OTHER FEATURES OF THE BILL INCLUDE HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN MILITARY ASSISTANCE TO UKRAINE AND ISRAEL – SEPARATE FROM THE $110 BILLION SPENDING CURRENTLY STALLED IN CONGRESS – AS WELL AS EXTENDING A PROGRAM THAT ALLOWS THE INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY TO CONDUCT WARRANTLESS SURVEILLANCE ON FOREIGN INDIVIDUALS – AIMED AT PREVENTING TERRORISM.

THE BILL ALSO ESTABLISHES A NEW TRAINING PROGRAM IN TAIWAN AND INCLUDES THE CREATION OF A SPECIAL INSPECTOR GENERAL FOR UKRAINE – TO ADDRESS CONCERNS ON WHETHER AMERICAN DOLLARS ARE BEING SPENT AS INTENDED.

THE BILL DOES KEEP IN PLACE THE PENTAGON’S RULE THAT ALLOWS FOR TRAVEL REIMBURSEMENT FOR SERVICE MEMBERS GOING OUT OF STATE FOR AN ABORTION – A POLICY HOUSE REPUBLICANS WERE LOOKING TO REMOVE.

THE BILL PASSED THE SENATE BY A VOTE OF 87 TO 13 – IT IS NOW HEADED TO THE HOUSE.

WHITE HOUSE NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISOR JAKE SULLIVAN IS SET TO ARRIVE IN ISRAEL TODAY TO MEET WITH PRIME MINISTER BENJAMIN NETANYAHU AND OTHER TOP ISRAELI OFFICIALS AS THE U.S. EXPRESSES CONCERNS OVER CIVILIAN CASUALTIES AMID THE WAR IN GAZA.

PRIOR TO ARRIVING IN ISRAEL – SULLIVAN TRAVELED TO SAUDI ARABIA WHERE SPOKE WITH THE COUNTRY’S CROWN PRINCE ABOUT WAYS TO CREATE A SUSTAINABLE PEACE BETWEEN ISRAELIS AND PALESTINIANS.

ACCORDING TO NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL SPOKESMAN JOHN KIRBY – OVER THE NEXT TWO DAYS — SULLIVAN WILL DISCUSS WITH ISRAELI OFFICIALS  “EFFORTS TO BE MORE SURGICAL AND MORE PRECISE” IN THEIR STRIKES IN GAZA “TO REDUCE HARM TO CIVILIANS.”

SULLIVAN IS ALSO EXPECTED TO DISCUSS THE RETURN OF HOSTAGES TAKEN BY HAMAS. EIGHT AMERICANS ARE AMONG THE MORE THAN 100 HOSTAGES STILL BEING HELD BY THE TERRORIST GROUP IN GAZA.

ON WEDNESDAY, PRESIDENT BIDEN MET WITH FAMILIES OF THE AMERICAN HOSTAGES.

KIRBY SAID THE PRESIDENT WAS QUOTE “MOVED BY THEIR STORIES, BY THE LOVE THEY FEEL, BY THE HOPE THAT THEY STILL HARBOR.”

BIDEN PROMISED THE FAMILY MEMBERS THEY WOULD BE KEPT INFORMED EVERY STEP OF THE WAY AS THE U.S. WORKS TO GET THEIR LOVED ONES HOME.

A FEDERAL JUDGE HAS PAUSED FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP’S ELECTION INTERFERENCE CASE WHILE THE APPEAL PROCESS PLAYS OUT.

WEDNESDAY’S ORDER FOLLOWS A STAY REQUEST MADE BY TRUMP’S LEGAL TEAM WHILE THEY PURSUE THE CLAIM THE FORMER PRESIDENT IS IMMUNE FROM PROSECUTION.

SPECIAL COUNSEL JACK SMITH ARGUED AGAINST AN ALL-OUT PAUSE TRYING TO KEEP THE CASE ON TRACK FOR A MARCH 4TH TRIAL. THE ORDER HANDED DOWN BY U-S DISTRICT JUDGE TANYA CHUTKAN COULD DELAY THE START OF THE TRIAL AND IS NOW AT THE MERCY OF THE APPEAL PROCESS TIMELINE.

AFTER THE RULING, THE APPEALS COURT SET DEADLINES FOR BRIEFS TO BE FILED IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS IN AN EFFORT TO EXPEDITE THE PROCESS.

STILL — PROSECUTORS WORRY THE CASE COULD BE PAUSED FOR SOME TIME… INCLUDING UNTIL AFTER THE NEXT PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION.

TRUMP’S LEGAL TEAM CALLED THE DECISION A “BIG WIN FOR TRUMP AND THE RULE OF LAW” AND ACCUSED SPECIAL COUNSEL JACK SMITH OF USING THE TRIAL AS A STRATEGIC WAY TO INTERFERE IN THE 2024 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION IN SUPPORT OF PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN.

TRUMP HAS BEEN BROUGHT ON CHARGES FOR ALLEGEDLY TRYING TO OVERTURN TO 20-20 ELECTION. HE HAS PLEADED NOT GUILTY.

A NEW FACT CHECKING FEATURE THAT META QUIETLY LAUNCHED ON INSTAGRAM HAS RAISED CONCERNS OVER CENSORSHIP.

A META SPOKESPERSON SAYS THE COMPANY IS GIVING USERS THE ABLITIY TO CONTROL THE ALGORITHM — SAYINNG THE FEATURE ALLOWS USERS TO CUSTOMIZE WHETHER THEY SEE MORE OR LESS FACT-CHECKED CONTENT IN THEIR FEED.

THE SPOKESPERSON ADDING THAT THE FEATURE HAS BEEN ROLLED OUT AFTER LISTENING TO WHAT USERS WANT – QUOTE “A GREATER ABILITY TO DECIDE WHAT THEY SEE ON THEIR APPS.”

THE FEATURE IS FACING CRITICISM.  IN THE LAST FEW DAYS SOME PRO-PALESTINIAN ACCOUNTS HAVE CRITICIZED THE FUNCTION SAYING THAT INSTAGRAM IS TRYING TO CENSOR THEIR CONTENT.

THE FACT-CHECK FEATURE WAS LAUNCHED ON FACEBOOK IN MAY – BUT IT IS UNCLEAR WHEN IT WAS SET IN MOTION ON INSTAGRAM – THOUGH A META BLOG POST ABOUT THE FEATURE WAS UPDATED ON TUESDAY.

FINALLY THIS MORNING – FOR CABLE SUBSCRIBERS THINKING OF CUTTING THE CORD – THE FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION JUST APPROVED A PROPOSAL TO GET RID OF EARLY TERMINATION FEES.

THE FCC ON WEDNESDAY VOTED 3-2 ON PARTISAN LINES TO BAN CABLE AND SATELLITE COMPANIES FROM CHARGING WHAT THE AGENCY’S CHAIRWOMAN DESCRIBED AS  “JUNK FEES.”

THE PROPOSED RULES WOULD ALSO REQUIRE SERVICE PROVIDERS TO ISSUE A PRO-RATED CREDIT OR REBATE TO CUSTOMERS FOR THE DAYS LEFT ON THEIR BILLING CYCLE AFTER CANCELLATION.

REPUBLICANS ON THE FCC VOTED AGAINST THE PROPOSAL – SAYING IT UNFAIRLY SINGLED OUT ONE INDUSTRY.

ACCORDING TO FINDINGS BY CONSUMER REPORTS IN 2019 – CABLE COMPANIES COULD MAKE AN ESTIMATED 28 BILLION DOLLARS A YEAR ON FEES.

THE FCC WILL NOW SOLICIT PUBLIC FEEDBACK ON ITS PROPOSAL BEFORE TAKING A FINAL VOTE ON THE RULES.

THESE ARE YOUR TOP STORIES FOR THIS THURSDAY.

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UNTIL THEN I’M KARAH RUCKER. HAVE A GREAT DAY!