House, Senate vote on bills as government shutdown looms: The Morning Rundown, Sept. 27, 2023

BOTH CHAMBERS OF CONGRESS ARE MAKING MOVES AS A POSSIBLE GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN IS JUST DAYS AWAY

AND —

WE TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT THE POTENTIAL IMPACT OFFSHORE WIND TURBINES ARE HAVING ON MARINE LIFE.

THE MORNING RUNDOWN STARTS NOW.

THIS IS STRAIGHT-ARROW NEWS. 

BRINGING YOU UNBIASED, STRAIGHT FACTS.

TODAY IS WEDNESDAY — SEPTEMBER 27TH

THANKS FOR JOINING US.

I’M KARAH RUCKER.

IT WAS BUSY TUESDAY ON CAPITOL HILL…AS HOUSE REPUBLICANS VOTED TO ADVANCE FOUR CONSERVATIVE SPENDING BILLS —

AND THE SENATE INTRODUCED A SHORT-TERM FUNDING BILL AS A POTENTIAL GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN LOOMS.

THE HOUSE GOP’S BILLS INCLUDE FEDERAL SPENDING CUTS BUT WOULD FUND THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE, HOMELAND SECURITY, STATE AND AGRICULTURE DEPARTMENTS —

BUT THE DEMOCRAT-LED SENATE IS LIKELY TO TURN THEM DOWN.

A GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN IS DAYS AWAY IF THE TWO CHAMBERS OF CONGRESS CAN’T COME TO AN AGREEMENT TO KEEP THE GOVERNMENT FUNDED.

RIGHT NOW — THE HOUSE AND SENATE ARE ON A COLLISION COURSE.

THE HOUSE PASSING SPENDING BILLS —

THE SENATE LOOKING TO PASS A STOP-GAP BILL — KEEPING THE GOVERNMENT OPEN THROUGH NOVEMBER 17TH — THAT INCLUDES 6 BILLION DOLLARS IN FUNDING FOR UKRAINE —

SOMETHING HOUSE REPUBLICANS ARE LIKELY TO BE AGAINST.

HOUSE SPEAKER KEVIN MCCARTHY SAID THE HOUSE WOULD CONSIDER ITS OWN STOP-GAP BILL — THAT ONE WOULD INCLUDE A BORDER SECURITY PROVISION.

WITH TWO SEPARATE AGENDAS —

THE HOUSE AND SENATE ARE FAILING TO FIND COMMON GROUND.

THEY HAVE A FEW MORE DAYS TO DO SO IN ORDER TO AVOID A SHUTDOWN THIS WEEKEND.

IN A RULING TUESDAY — A NEW YORK JUDGE SAID FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP REPEATEDLY VIOLATED STATE FRAUD LAW– MISREPRESENTING HIS WEALTH TO BANKS BY AS MUCH AS THREE POINT SIX BILLION DOLLARS.

THE ATTORNEY GENERAL SUED TRUMP AND THE TRUMP ORGANIZATION A YEAR AGO –

ACCUSING THEM OF INFLATING VALUES OF THEIR ASSETS LIKE GOLF COURSES AND THE MAR-A-LAGO ESTATE.

THE JUDGE SAID TRUMP AND HIS ORGANIZATION REPEATEDLY LIED ON BUSINESS RECORDS AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS LEADING TO FAVORABLE LOAN TERMS AND LOWER INSURANCE COSTS.

TRUMP RESPONDED ON SOCIAL MEDIA — CALLING IT A VERY SAD DAY FOR THE NEW YORK STATE SYSTEM OF JUSTICE. HIS LAWYERS SAY THEY WILL APPEAL THE JUDGE’S RULING.

AT LEAST 100 PEOPLE WERE KILLED AND 150 MORE INJURED AFTER A FIRE BROKE OUT DURING A WEDDING IN NORTHERN IRAQ.
ACCORDING TO THE IRAQI CIVIL DEFENSE – FIREWORKS, CANDLES AND OTHER MATERIALS USED DURING THE CELEBRATION SET OFF THE BLAZE INSIDE THE WEDDING HALL – LOCATED 200 MILES FROM THE CAPITAL OF BAGHDAD.
OFFICIALS SAY THE BUILDING WAS COVERED WITH HIGHLY FLAMMABLE PANELS. VIDEO FROM THE SCENE SHOWED CHARRED METAL AND DEBRIS WHERE THE HALL COLLAPSED FROM THE HEAT.
A WEDDING GUEST TOLD LOCAL MEDIA THAT THE BRIDE AND GROOM MADE IT OUT SAFELY.
THE IRAQI GOVERNMENT HAS DECLARED A THREE-DAY NATIONAL MOURNING PERIOD FOLLOWING THE FATAL FIRE.

THE FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION AND 17 STATES HAVE FILED AN ANTITRUST LAWSUIT AGAINST AMAZON —

IN A LANDMARK MONOPOLY CASE.

THE FTC AND 17 ATTORNEYS GENERAL ALLEGE AMAZON UNFAIRLY PROMOTES ITS OWN PLATFORM AND SERVICES AT THE EXPENSE OF THIRD-PARTY SELLERS USING THEIR SITE TO DISTRIBUTE THEIR PRODUCTS.

THE LAWSUIT ALLEGES AMAZON WIELDS MONOPOLY POWER TO MAINTAIN HIGHER PRICES ON ITS WEBSITE —

HARMING CUSTOMERS AND WEAKENING COMPETITION.

THE LAWSUIT ALSO CLAIMS THE ONLINE RETAILER BURIES DISCOUNT SELLERS FAR DOWN IN ITS SEARCH RESULTS SO THAT THEY “BECOME EFFECTIVELY INVISIBLE.”

IN A STATEMENT, AMAZON CALLED THE CASE — QUOTE —  “WRONG ON THE FACTS AND THE LAW.”

TARGET SAYS IT WILL BE CLOSING NINE STORES IN MAJOR CITIES NEXT MONTH BECAUSE OF “THEFT AND ORGANIZED RETAIL CRIME.”

THE COMPANY SAYS THE WAVE OF SHOPLIFTING IS THREATENING THE SAFETY OF ITS WORKERS AND SHOPPERS.

STORES ARE CLOSING IN NEW YORK CITY, SEATTLE, SAN FRANCISCO’S BAY AREA AND PORTLAND, OREGON.

TARGET’S CEO BRIAN CORNELL HAS BEEN OUTSPOKEN ON RETAIL CRIME — AND ITS NEGATIVE IMPACT ON THE INDUSTRY.

SAYING TARGET’S FULL-YEAR PROFITABILITY WILL REDUCE BY HALF A **BILLION DOLLARS COMPARED TO THE YEAR PRIOR DUE TO SMASH AND GRABS AND SHOPLIFTING.

TARGET IS NOT ALONE – OTHER STORES ARE ALSO DEALING WITH A RISE IN LOOTING. ON TUESDAY NIGHT – MORE THAN A DOZEN PEOPLE WERE ARRESTED IN PHILADELPHIA AFTER POLICE SAY SEVERAL BUSINESSES INCLUDING APPLE AND LULULEMON STORES WERE BROKEN INTO AND RANSACKED.

FINALLY THIS MORNING –

EARLIER THIS WEEK STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS RELEASED A TWO PART SERIES “AGAINST THE WIND” –

DIVING INTO OFFSHORE WIND TURBINES AND THE POTENTIAL IMPACTS ITS HAVING ON MARINE LIFE.

WE SAT DOWN WITH INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER SHANNON LONGWORTH THIS WEEK TO DISCUSS HER SPECIAL REPORT AFTER THE ISSUE WAS PROPELLED INTO THE SPOTLIGHT BY FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP AT A RALLY ON MONDAY.

TAKE A LOOK.

COMMENTS MADE BY FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP AT A RALLY IN SOUTH CAROLINA HAVE SET OFF A FIRESTORM OF REACTION.

TRUMP CRITICIZED PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN’S WIND ENERGY PROJECTS AND ITS IMPACT ON MARINE LIFE –

THEN C-N-N WAS QUICK TO CRITICIZE **HIM.

HERE IS A CLIP FROM WHAT CNN CALLED A “FACT CHECK” SEGMENT TO DEBUNK THE PRESIDENT’S CLAIMS.

TAKE A LISTEN AND THEN WE WILL FACT CHECK THEIR FACT CHECK WITH INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER SHANNON LONGWORTH.

HERE IT IS.

SHANNON – FOR MONTHS YOU HAVE BEEN RESEARCHING THIS EXACT TOPIC –

OFFSHORE WIND AND THE POLITICIZATION OF IT..

WHAT IS YOUR TAKE ON THE PRESIDENT’S REMARKS? ARE THEY ACCURATE?

YOU’RE SAYING THAT THE FORMER PRESIDENT IS BRINGING UP A CREDIBLE CONCERN.

WHY DO WE HAVE MAJOR NEWS OUTLETS THEN MOCKING THE PRESIDENT FOR TALKING ABOUT IT?

YOU JUST PUT OUT A TWO PART SERIES CALLED “AGAINST THE WIND”.. BOTH OF WHICH ARE OUT NOW.

SO FROM WHAT YOU’VE LEARNED – IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE YOU WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW ABOUT OFFSHORE WIND?

THAT’S GOING TO DO IT FOR THIS EDITION OF THE MORNING RUNDOWN.

BE SURE TO CHECK OUT MORE OF OUR WORK AT STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS DOT COM.

AND YOU CAN ALSO FIND THE LATEST RUNDOWN EPISODES AVAILABLE AS A PODCAST.

WE’LL SEE YOU BACK HERE TOMORROW.UNTIL THEN I’M KARAH RUCKER. HAVE A GREAT DAY!