INSIDER
JD Vance is leaving the Senate for the vice presidency. That's set off a scramble for his Ohio seat
Read full article: JD Vance is leaving the Senate for the vice presidency. That's set off a scramble for his Ohio seatJD Vance’s election as vice president has opened up one of Ohio’s U.S. Senate seats for the third time in as many years.
Why AP called the Ohio Senate race for Bernie Moreno
Read full article: Why AP called the Ohio Senate race for Bernie MorenoFormer car salesman Bernie Moreno clinched victory after securing a 4 percentage point lead in Ohio’s Senate race, ousting three-term Democrat Sherrod Brown, who was the last in his party elected statewide in what was once a premier electoral battleground.
Republicans are one seat away from a Senate majority with Ted Cruz win in Texas and a pickup in Ohio
Read full article: Republicans are one seat away from a Senate majority with Ted Cruz win in Texas and a pickup in OhioRepublicans were one seat away from seizing the Senate majority late Tuesday after firebrand Republican Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas defeated Democrat Colin Allred, pushing the GOP closer to wresting control of the chamber.
The struggle for Senate control goes down to the wire as spending shatters records
Read full article: The struggle for Senate control goes down to the wire as spending shatters recordsBillions of dollars in ads are raining down on voters across the Rust Belt, Rocky Mountains and American southwest as the two major political parties struggle for control of the U.S. Senate.
Former Ohio Gov. Bob Taft, scion of Republican family, backs Democrat Sherrod Brown for Senate
Read full article: Former Ohio Gov. Bob Taft, scion of Republican family, backs Democrat Sherrod Brown for SenateA member of one of Ohio's best-known Republican families has thrown his support behind Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown in his hotly contested reelection race against GOP nominee Bernie Moreno.
Moreno's abortion comment rattles debate in expensive Senate race in Republican-leaning Ohio
Read full article: Moreno's abortion comment rattles debate in expensive Senate race in Republican-leaning OhioOhio's close Senate race took a twist recently when cellphone video surfaced of Republican Bernie Moreno criticizing women whose votes are driven by the abortion issue.
Democrats put up $25 million to reach voters in 10 states in fierce fight for Senate majority
Read full article: Democrats put up $25 million to reach voters in 10 states in fierce fight for Senate majorityDemocrats are pumping $25 million into expanded voter outreach across 10 states as part of their effort to protect their narrow Senate majority.
Senate candidate Bernie Moreno campaigns as an outsider. His wealthy family is politically connected
Read full article: Senate candidate Bernie Moreno campaigns as an outsider. His wealthy family is politically connectedRepublican Senate candidate Bernie Moreno of Ohio likes to portray himself as a political outsider in his race against Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown.
Uproar over Biden's campaign shows no signs of abating. Manchin is latest to call for a new nominee
Read full article: Uproar over Biden's campaign shows no signs of abating. Manchin is latest to call for a new nomineeThe uproar over President Joe Biden’s reelection bid is showing no signs of abating.
Sale of US Steel kicks up a political storm, but Pittsburgh isn't Steeltown USA anymore
Read full article: Sale of US Steel kicks up a political storm, but Pittsburgh isn't Steeltown USA anymorePittsburgh's most storied steel company, U.S. Steel, is on the cusp of being bought by Japanese steelmaker Nippon Steel Corp. in a deal that's kicking up an election year political maelstrom.
Biden administration to tax foreign-made steel and aluminum imports routed through Mexico
Read full article: Biden administration to tax foreign-made steel and aluminum imports routed through MexicoThe Biden administration is imposing tariffs on steel and aluminum shipped from Mexico that were made elsewhere.
Biden's debate performance leaves down-ballot Democrats anxious — and quiet
Read full article: Biden's debate performance leaves down-ballot Democrats anxious — and quietPresident Joe Biden's debate performance spurred anxiety and silence among some Democrats running in competitive races across the country.
Prospect of low-priced Chinese EVs reaching US from Mexico poses threat to automakers
Read full article: Prospect of low-priced Chinese EVs reaching US from Mexico poses threat to automakersAmerica’s auto industry has grown concerned that Chinese carmakers may be preparing to set up shop in Mexico to exploit North American trade rules.
Broadway star from Jacksonville shares talents with hometown Friday at Underbelly concert
Read full article: Broadway star from Jacksonville shares talents with hometown Friday at Underbelly concertSherrod Brown honed his performance skills in Jacksonville before embarking on an adventure that eventually landed him on Broadway as part of Jesus Christ Superstar.
Republicans make Biden's EV push an election-year issue as Democrats take a more nuanced approach
Read full article: Republicans make Biden's EV push an election-year issue as Democrats take a more nuanced approachDonald Trump and other Republicans say President Joe Biden’s policy to promote electric vehicles is unfair for consumers and amounts to government overreach.
The White House says FDIC chairman to step down following report on agency's toxic workplace culture
Read full article: The White House says FDIC chairman to step down following report on agency's toxic workplace cultureThe chairman of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation will step down from his post once a successor is appointed.
Money isn't enough to smooth the path for Republican candidates hoping to retake the Senate
Read full article: Money isn't enough to smooth the path for Republican candidates hoping to retake the SenateSenate Republicans are returning to a strategy they hope could neutralize their Democratic rivals' financial edge: Find rich people to run.
Senate races are roiled by campus protests over the war in Gaza as campaign rhetoric sharpens
Read full article: Senate races are roiled by campus protests over the war in Gaza as campaign rhetoric sharpensThe student protest movement over the war in Gaza is roiling Senate contests in an election year when control of the chamber is at stake in November.
Trump got the candidate he wanted in Ohio's Senate primary. But can Bernie Moreno win in November?
Read full article: Trump got the candidate he wanted in Ohio's Senate primary. But can Bernie Moreno win in November?Donald Trump got what he wanted when former car dealer Bernie Moreno won the Republican Senate primary in Ohio.
Trump favorites Moreno and Merrin win GOP primaries to face 2 vulnerable Ohio Democrats this fall
Read full article: Trump favorites Moreno and Merrin win GOP primaries to face 2 vulnerable Ohio Democrats this fallFormer President Donald Trump’s picks have won two high-profile races in Ohio that could affect Republicans’ chances for potentially pivotal pickups this fall.
AP Decision Notes: What to expect in Ohio's presidential and state primaries
Read full article: AP Decision Notes: What to expect in Ohio's presidential and state primariesThe most high-profile election in Ohio’s primary on Tuesday will be the Republican contest to take on the state’s Democratic U.S. senator.
Trump heading to Ohio to rally for GOP's Bernie Moreno ahead of March 19 primary
Read full article: Trump heading to Ohio to rally for GOP's Bernie Moreno ahead of March 19 primaryFormer President Donald Trump is heading to Ohio to rally support for Republican U.S. Senate candidate Bernie Moreno ahead of the March 19 primary.
Purple Ohio? Parties in the former bellwether state take lessons from 2023 abortion, marijuana votes
Read full article: Purple Ohio? Parties in the former bellwether state take lessons from 2023 abortion, marijuana votesAcademics, politicos and Republicans caution not to read too much into 2023’s election outcomes in Ohio.
Republican Matt Dolan lands former US Sen. Rob Portman's endorsement in Ohio's Senate primary
Read full article: Republican Matt Dolan lands former US Sen. Rob Portman's endorsement in Ohio's Senate primaryRepublican Matt Dolan has landed the endorsement of former U.S. Sen. Rob Portman in the three-way primary to face Democratic U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown this fall.
Senators urge Biden to end duty-free treatment for packages valued at less than $800
Read full article: Senators urge Biden to end duty-free treatment for packages valued at less than $800Two U.S. senators looking to crack down on the number of packages from China that enter the country duty-free are calling on President Joe Biden to take executive action.
Bernie Moreno running for Senate as outsider, but public entities he served boosted his business
Read full article: Bernie Moreno running for Senate as outsider, but public entities he served boosted his businessIn his bid for U_S_ Senate in Ohio, Trump-endorsed Republican Bernie Moreno casts himself as a “political outsider.”.
Cleveland businessman Bernie Moreno lands Trump endorsement in Ohio's US Senate GOP primary
Read full article: Cleveland businessman Bernie Moreno lands Trump endorsement in Ohio's US Senate GOP primaryRepublican U.S. Senate candidate Bernie Moreno has landed Donald Trump’s endorsement in the GOP race for a 2024 contender to unseat third-term Democrat Sherrod Brown, among his party’s most vulnerable incumbents.
Biden promises a better economic relationship with Asia, but he’s specifically avoiding a trade deal
Read full article: Biden promises a better economic relationship with Asia, but he’s specifically avoiding a trade dealThe United States and 13 partners in the Indo-Pacific region are announcing a signed deal on supply chains and agreements in principle on climate and anti-corruption efforts.
Bankman-Fried's trial exposed crypto fraud but Congress has not been eager to regulate the industry
Read full article: Bankman-Fried's trial exposed crypto fraud but Congress has not been eager to regulate the industryThe conviction of former cryptocurrency mogul Sam Bankman-Fried for stealing at least $10 billion from customers and investors is the latest black mark for the crypto industry.
Biden faces more criticism about the US-Mexico border, one of his biggest problems heading into 2024
Read full article: Biden faces more criticism about the US-Mexico border, one of his biggest problems heading into 2024The U.S.-Mexico border and immigration are creating political and security challenges for President Joe Biden.
Frank LaRose, GOP Senate candidate in Ohio, fires a top staffer for tweets critical of Donald Trump
Read full article: Frank LaRose, GOP Senate candidate in Ohio, fires a top staffer for tweets critical of Donald TrumpThe most prominent Republican in the race to unseat Ohio Sen. Sherrod Brown next year has fired a top aide after social media posts surfaced in which the staffer criticized Donald Trump.
6 months after the East Palestine train derailment, Congress is deadlocked on new rules for safety
Read full article: 6 months after the East Palestine train derailment, Congress is deadlocked on new rules for safetyCongress responded to the fiery train derailment in eastern Ohio earlier this year with bipartisan alarm at railroad crashes causing potential disasters.
Sinema cites bill targeting leaders of failed banks after criticism of her Wall Street ties
Read full article: Sinema cites bill targeting leaders of failed banks after criticism of her Wall Street tiesArizona Sen. Kyrsten Sinema is taking credit for helping broker legislation that would target executives of failed banks.
Home to Glenn, Armstrong and Wrights perfect spot for Space Command HQ, Ohio lawmakers tell Biden
Read full article: Home to Glenn, Armstrong and Wrights perfect spot for Space Command HQ, Ohio lawmakers tell BidenCongressional delegates from Ohio are promoting Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton as the location for the new Space Command headquarters.
More sanctions for deadly fentanyl if bill becomes law
Read full article: More sanctions for deadly fentanyl if bill becomes lawOver the course of a year, the U.S. Treasury Department has used the hammer of its sanctions powers to impose wide-ranging financial restrictions on Russia in response to its invasion of Ukraine, turning Russia into the most sanctioned country in the world.
Bank failures and rescue test Yellen's decades of experience
Read full article: Bank failures and rescue test Yellen's decades of experienceTreasury Secretary Janet Yellen worked against the clock with other regulators, lawmakers and business leaders to come up with a plan that would prevent a full blown banking crisis.
Lawmakers tell ex-CEOs 'you must answer' for bank failures
Read full article: Lawmakers tell ex-CEOs 'you must answer' for bank failuresLeaders of the Senate’s banking committee are telling former chief executive officers at the failed Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank they “must answer” for their banks' "downfall.”.
Railroad CEO to testify in Congress about Ohio derailment
Read full article: Railroad CEO to testify in Congress about Ohio derailmentThe CEO of Norfolk Southern railroad will testify in Congress next week about last month's fiery Ohio derailment and the precautions the railroad takes to prevent similar crashes.
Ohio senators introduce rail safety bill after fiery crash
Read full article: Ohio senators introduce rail safety bill after fiery crashA bipartisan group of U.S. senators has proposed legislation that would make railroads, like the one involved in last month’s fiery crash and toxic chemical release in Ohio, subject to a series of new federal safety regulations and financial consequences.
White House defends response to Ohio toxic train derailment
Read full article: White House defends response to Ohio toxic train derailmentThe Biden administration is defending its response to a freight train derailment in Ohio that left toxic chemicals spilled or burned off, even as local leaders and members of Congress demanded that more be done.
Another $237M granted to Honda battery plant project in Ohio
Read full article: Another $237M granted to Honda battery plant project in OhioOhio’s privatized economic development office has finalized an agreement that will infuse another $237 million into Honda's massive battery plant project in the state.
Sherrod Brown’s EP “Sad Boys Club” Releasing Nov. 6th.
Read full article: Sherrod Brown’s EP “Sad Boys Club” Releasing Nov. 6th.Sherrod Brown honed his skills at Douglas Anderson School of the arts, which afforded him the opportunity to merge technical training with his natural gifts. His skills positioned him to work with acts such as Miley Cyrus and Mariah Carey to name a few. He has performed nationally and also spent time hanging with Mario Lopez. He is the owner and creative director of the Posh Factory Performing Arts Center. He has been recognized as one of Florida’s top 20 business owners under 40. He became the first male NBA dancer and cheerleader for the Orlando Magic. His latest musical endeavor is producing and singing his new EP “Sad Boys Club”.
Biden zeroes in on economic message as campaign winds down
Read full article: Biden zeroes in on economic message as campaign winds downPresident Joe Biden is focusing on economic issues as he fine-tunes his closing argument in upstate New York for voters trying to cope with raging inflation and fears of a recession heading into the Nov. 8 election.
Bank CEOs questioned on consumer protections, social issues
Read full article: Bank CEOs questioned on consumer protections, social issuesThe CEOs of the nation’s biggest banks returned to Capitol Hill for a second day Thursday, and Senate Democrats strongly urged them to do more to help and protect their customers, while Republicans questioned whether banks should weigh in on hot-button social issues.
Rejected by courts, retirees take last shot to save pensions
Read full article: Rejected by courts, retirees take last shot to save pensionsWhen General Motors went through the biggest industrial bankruptcy proceedings in history, 20,000 retirees from GM's Delphi Corp. subsidiary saw their retirement savings slashed.
Fed ethics inquiry clears Powell and Clarida trades
Read full article: Fed ethics inquiry clears Powell and Clarida tradesThe Federal Reserve’s inspector general concluded that financial trades made several years ago by Chair Jerome Powell and Richard Clarida, then the vice chair, did not violate any laws or ethics rules.
Yellen trip to Capitol detours into tense abortion debate
Read full article: Yellen trip to Capitol detours into tense abortion debateTreasury Secretary Janet Yellen’s appearance before a Senate committee took an unexpected and tense detour into the abortion debate Tuesday when senators questioned her about the potential impact of an abortion ban on the American economy.
Election 2022: JD Vance wins Ohio's GOP Senate primary
Read full article: Election 2022: JD Vance wins Ohio's GOP Senate primaryPrimary elections in Ohio have set the stage for a more competitive phase of the midterm primary season, with closely watched races in Pennsylvania, North Carolina and Georgia scheduled for later this month.
Fed casting its inflation fight as battle against inequality
Read full article: Fed casting its inflation fight as battle against inequalityAs the Federal Reserve intensifies its efforts to tame high inflation, its top officials are casting their aggressive drive in a new light: As a blow against economic inequality.
Senate GOP delays votes on Raskin and 4 other Fed nominees
Read full article: Senate GOP delays votes on Raskin and 4 other Fed nomineesRepublican members of the Senate Banking Committee boycotted a vote on President Joe Biden’s five nominees to the Federal Reserve, delaying indefinitely the confirmation of Chair Jerome Powell to a second four-year term.
Climate change a rising Fed concern as nominees face hearing
Read full article: Climate change a rising Fed concern as nominees face hearingHow far the Federal Reserve can go to compel banks to consider the consequences of climate change in their lending policies could take center stage at a Senate hearing Thursday on the nominations of Sarah Bloom Raskin and two economists to the Fed’s influential Board of Governors.
Ryan, not onstage, takes central focus at Ohio Senate event
Read full article: Ryan, not onstage, takes central focus at Ohio Senate eventDemocrat Tim Ryan wasn’t onstage when two of his competitors in Ohio’s U.S. Senate contest came together Thursday night for an unconventional debate, but his stature in the race featured prominently.
Fed's Powell: High inflation poses a threat to job market
Read full article: Fed's Powell: High inflation poses a threat to job marketFederal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said Tuesday that high inflation is a serious threat to the Fed’s goal of helping put more Americans back to work, and said the Fed will raise rates more than it now plans if needed to stem surging prices.
Biden's political standing fuels Democratic worry about 2024
Read full article: Biden's political standing fuels Democratic worry about 2024Some Democrats have begun saying out loud what others are saying privately — that Joe Biden’s political standing is so weak less than a year into his presidency that he may not be able to win reelection in 2024 if he were to run again.
McConnell seizes on debt standoff to undermine Biden agenda
Read full article: McConnell seizes on debt standoff to undermine Biden agendaDuring the recent standoff over the nation's debt limit, Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell showed just how far he'll go to stop President Joe Biden’s agenda.
Senate confirms Biden pick to lead consumer watchdog agency
Read full article: Senate confirms Biden pick to lead consumer watchdog agencyThe Senate has narrowly approved President Joe Biden’s pick to run the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, giving the bureau a director who is likely to embrace an aggressive “watchdog” role.
A potential Powell renomination for Fed faces some dissent
Read full article: A potential Powell renomination for Fed faces some dissentResistance to the potential renomination of Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell intensified this week, with Sen. Elizabeth Warren becoming the first senator to publicly oppose Powell and many progressive groups pushing for some alternative leader at the Fed.
Groups worry about tapping COVID relief for infrastructure
Read full article: Groups worry about tapping COVID relief for infrastructureOrganizations representing long-term care facilities are urging lawmakers working on a bipartisan infrastructure plan to avoid dipping into COVID-relief funds to help pay for the roughly $600 billion in new spending sought for the public works buildout.
As prices rise at rapid pace, Fed chief seeks patience
Read full article: As prices rise at rapid pace, Fed chief seeks patienceFor anyone worried about surging prices for everything from food and gas to airplane tickets and clothes, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell’s message in two days of congressional hearings this week was straightforward: Just give it more time, and those price gains should slow, or even reverse.
Biden objects to raising gas tax to pay for infrastructure
Read full article: Biden objects to raising gas tax to pay for infrastructureThe White House is making clear that President Joe Biden is opposed to letting the federal gasoline tax rise at the rate of inflation to help pay for an infrastructure package that a bipartisan group of 21 senators is trying to craft.
Senators to Biden: Waive vaccine intellectual property rules
Read full article: Senators to Biden: Waive vaccine intellectual property rulesTen liberal senators are urging President Joe Biden to back India and South Africa’s appeal to the World Trade Organization to temporarily relax intellectual property rules so coronavirus vaccines can be manufactured by nations that are struggling to inoculate their populations.
Fed to end relaxed capital requirements for large banks
Read full article: Fed to end relaxed capital requirements for large banksThe Federal Reserve says it will restore capital requirements for large banks that were relaxed as part of the Feds efforts to shore up the financial system during the early days of the pandemic. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh, Pool)WASHINGTON – The Federal Reserve says it will restore capital requirements for large banks that were relaxed as part of the Fed’s efforts to shore up the financial system during the early days of the pandemic. But the SLR, unlike other bank capital requirements, doesn't take risk into account. Bank lobbyists argue that without an extension of the exemption, large banks will be less likely to hold Treasury securities. “We are also confident that the thousands of community banks that are not subject to the SLR requirements would be happy to accept deposits that large banks may reject,” they said.
'We can do big things,' Schumer says as Senate approves aid
Read full article: 'We can do big things,' Schumer says as Senate approves aidSenate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., leaves the chamber just after the Senate narrowly approved a $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief bill, at the Capitol in Washington, Saturday, March 6, 2021. Senate passage sets up final congressional approval by the House next week so lawmakers can send it to President Joe Biden for his signature. Ad“Lessons learned: If we have unity, we can do big things,” Schumer told The Associated Press in an interview after the vote. The outcome “gives us optimism about doing more big things in the future — because it worked,” he said. He and Schumer spoke often as the Senate leader steered the pandemic aid to approval.
GOP's Josh Mandel joins race for open Senate seat in Ohio
Read full article: GOP's Josh Mandel joins race for open Senate seat in OhioFILEIn this file photo from Oct. 6, 2020, Jane Timken, the Chairwoman of the Ohio Republican Party, speaks at the Hamilton County Board of Elections during early voting in Norwood, Ohio. (AP Photo/Aaron Doster, File)COLUMBUS, Ohio – Republican Josh Mandel, a Marine veteran and former state treasurer, says he will make a third run for the U.S. Senate in Ohio, taking a pro-Trump message in a bid for the seat being vacated by the GOP’s Rob Portman. AdMandel abruptly abandoned his last Senate campaign in January 2018, citing unspecified health issues being experienced by his then-wife, Ilana. He personally backed her takeover of the state party four years ago from a state chair allied with then-Gov. He has about $4.3 million remaining in his Senate campaign account, and about $500,000 in a leadership PAC.
In Ohio, open Senate seat sparks debate on gender, diversity
Read full article: In Ohio, open Senate seat sparks debate on gender, diversityAn open Senate seat in Ohio has set off a round of jockeying among ambitious Democrats and a spirited debate over who is best poised to lead a party comeback in a one-time battleground that has been trending Republican. While Acton and Ryan are believed to be the furthest along in their deliberations, several politicians who are Black are also eyeing the seat. The group is working to recruit a Black candidate for the Senate seat, he said. AdStill, Ryan got a boost Saturday when Hillary Clinton, the party’s 2016 presidential nominee, declared on Twitter that she was “all in” for a Ryan Senate candidacy. For some Ohio Democrats the cautionary tale is 2018, when a group of female gubernatorial candidates all ceded their ambitions to former Obama administration consumer chief Richard Cordray, who lost the race.
GOP's Rep. Jim Jordan won't seek Portman's US Senate seat
Read full article: GOP's Rep. Jim Jordan won't seek Portman's US Senate seatRob Portman, R-Ohio, speaks to members of the media outside a Senate Finance Committee hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington. Portman said Monday, Jan. 25 that he won't seek reelection and plans to end a career in federal government spanning more than three decades. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, File)CINCINNATI – Republican U.S. Rep. Jim Jordan, a fiery Donald Trump supporter, won't run to succeed Ohio Sen. The former star college wrestler's style doesn't reflect that of Portman, a career establishment Republican with a reputation for bipartisanship. AdTrump rewarded Jordan, 56, for his steady support by giving him the Presidential Medal of Freedom before leaving office this month.
HUD nominee pledges action to prevent home loss in pandemic
Read full article: HUD nominee pledges action to prevent home loss in pandemic(AP Photo/Susan Walsh, File)WASHINGTON – Housing secretary nominee Marcia Fudge told senators Thursday that she would take “extraordinary actions” to prevent people from losing their homes due to the coronavirus pandemic. Fudge championed homeownership as a classically American “ticket to the middle class” and endorsed federal financial assistance to expand the ranks of minority homeowners. And we are in extraordinary times,” said Fudge, speaking remotely from Cuyahoga Community College in Cleveland. Fudge also endorsed direct federal financial assistance to help prospective minority homeowners with the down payment on a mortgage. When Kennedy asked her directly whether she believed Republicans cared about Black Americans, Fudge tersely answered, “I do, some, yes.”Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, defended Fudge.
GOP Ohio Sen. Portman not seeking reelection, cites gridlock
Read full article: GOP Ohio Sen. Portman not seeking reelection, cites gridlock(AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, File)CINCINNATI – Ohio Sen. “Our country is very polarized,” Portman said, adding that former President Donald Trump did not help with the polarization. “Both in his words before the attack on the Capitol and in his actions afterward, President Trump bears some responsibility for what happened,” Portman said. “And right now the kind of candidate that’s going to come out of a Ohio Republican primary is not going to be that kind of candidate. “Yeah, sure, some people are mad at him,” said Ohio Republican strategist Ryan Stubenrauch.
Democrats ask ethics panel to investigate Sens. Cruz, Hawley
Read full article: Democrats ask ethics panel to investigate Sens. Cruz, HawleyThousands had gathered that day as Congress voted to formally certify President Joe Biden’s victory over Trump in November. Hawley and Cruz led objections in the Senate to Biden’s victory, despite the widespread recognition that the effort would fail. And both senators used their objections for political fundraising,” the Democratic senators said in their letter. Cruz helped force a vote on Biden's victory in Arizona, while Hawley helped force one on Biden's victory in Pennsylvania. “This latest effort is a flagrant abuse of the Senate ethics process and a flagrant attempt to exact partisan revenge."