Archive for the ‘Rand Paul’ Category

Sen. Rand Paul: Syria Attack Would Need Congressional Approval – Antiwar.com

While President Trump is openly said to be planning a possible attack on Syria, and is discussing options for such an attack with Defense Secretary James Mattis, Sen. Rand Paul (R KY) is warning that any such attack would first require Congressional approval.

Sen. Paul cited assurances from US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley that she would not advocate war without congressional authority. While the current and recent administration have used the 2001 Authorization for the Use of Military Force as a blanket attack everywhere authorization, this particular attack on Syria wouldnt be even tangentially related to al-Qaeda, and would stretch the AUMF far, far beyond incredulity.

The need for Congressional authorization for a war of regime change in Syria, already killed the Obama-era effort in 2013, as after Britains parliament voted against joining such a war, Obama Administration officials started courting Congress for their own vote, and when it became clear they had no chance of getting an authorization, they dropped the matter, despite arguing that they couldve unilaterally attacked without Congress.

The modern penchant for US presidents to unilaterally start wars without Congress rests heavily on Congress not openly challenging such moves, and the huge scope of a potential Syrian War, including the possibility of getting sucked rapidly into a war with Russia, would make it difficult for Congressional leaders to eschew their role in such a decision.

Sen. Paul also warned that the US war of regime change might make things worse, as it might back the Assad government into a corner and force him to make more rash actions.

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Sen. Rand Paul: Syria Attack Would Need Congressional Approval - Antiwar.com

DHS promises Rand Paul to probe reports of ‘unreasonable … – Washington Examiner

Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly told Sen. Rand Paul Wednesday that he would look into reports that U.S. border agents are demanding cellphone data from U.S. citizens and legal residents when they are trying to return home after traveling abroad.

Paul, R-Ky., told Kelly in a Senate Homeland Security Committee hearing that there are reports of thousands of these searches, which he said set an "extraordinarily unreasonable standard."

"We're denying people entry who are citizens or green card holders who are coming back home, and your department is saying to them, you cannot return to your home without giving us your fingerprint, and giving us all of the data on your phone, access to all the data on your phone," Paul said.

Kelly responded by saying he's not aware of any significant increase in searches against U.S. citizens, and said these would normally take place under "very, very, very critical circumstances."

"I would say that an American citizen ought to be able to come back in and not have their electronics searched," Kelly said.

Paul persisted, and said reports say these kinds of searches have increased.

"Let me take that on, senator," Kelly said. He said press reports can often be inaccurate, and that "there's always more to the story."

Kelly later said he believes attempts to download phone data from returning U.S. citizens is "not happening." He said it is "certainly happening to foreigners coming in, "but not routinely."

Paul asked Kelly to get back to him with more information. "Will do," Kelly said.

Also from the Washington Examiner

Derek Kan is general manager for Lyft's Southern California region.

04/06/17 9:41 PM

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DHS promises Rand Paul to probe reports of 'unreasonable ... - Washington Examiner

On Golf Course, Trump Talks Health Care With Dr. Rand Paul – NBCNews.com

POTOMAC FALLS, Va. President Donald Trump brought Sen. Rand Paul to his Virginia golf course on Sunday, planning to discuss health care with the outspoken critic of the failed plan to repeal and replace so-called Obamacare.

The outing to Trump National Golf Club came hours after Trump tweeted that talks on replacing the law have been going on and "will continue until such time as a deal is hopefully struck."

He added that anyone who thinks the effort is dead "does not know the love and strength in R Party!"

White House spokeswoman Stephanie Grisham said Trump would be golfing and talking policy, including health care, with Paul, a licensed ophthalmologist, and budget director Mick Mulvaney.

Trump vanquished Paul in the 2016 Republican presidential primary. The Kentucky senator came out strongly against the House GOP legislation, and its collapse humiliated Trump in the early days of his administration.

After the outing, Paul said that "I think the sides are getting closer and closer together, and I remain very optimistic that we will get Obamacare repealed."

Trump and aides had argued for a vote in the final hours of negotiations around the bill, but Trump and House Speaker Paul Ryan ultimately agreed to pull it, rather than face a loss if it had been put to a vote.

In an interview with the Financial Times published online Sunday, Trump said the bill was pulled because "I didn't want to take a vote. It was my idea."

Still, Trump said that "one way or the other, I promised the people great health care. We are going to have great health care in this country. Now, it will be in one form or another. It will be a repeal and replace of Obamacare which is the deal that is being negotiated now."

It is not clear how a new health care bill will come together, with deep divides among Republicans and little interest in cooperation from Democrats. Since the bill went down, Trump has repeatedly lashed out at members of the conservative House Freedom Caucus who contributed to the defeat.

On CNN's "State of the Union" on Sunday, a member of the caucus, Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, responded to those attacks. He said "tweets and statements and blame don't change facts. And the facts remain the same. When you look at the document, when you look at the legislation, it doesn't repeal Obamacare."

A Secret Service agent opens the door of the presidential vehicle for Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky, left, on the South Lawn driveway at the White House, April 2, 2017. Manuel Balce Ceneta / AP

Trump told the Financial Times that members of the caucus were "friends of mine." But he added: "if we don't get what we want, we will make a deal with the Democrats and we will have in my opinion not as good a form of health care, but we are going to have a very good form of health care and it will be a bipartisan form of health care."

The Sunday golf outing was not unusual for Trump, who has visited his golf courses in Virginia and Florida repeatedly since taking office. Sometimes these rounds incorporate official business, like when he played with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in Florida.

For years, Trump railed against Obama when he was in office for golfing. Candidate Trump said if he won the election he'd probably be too busy to golf and would only play with people with whom he was looking to make deals.

And specifically regarding golf and Sen. Paul, Trump has been even more vitriolic:

"Recently, Rand Paul called me and asked me to play golf," Trump told

"Senator Paul does not mention that after trouncing him in golf I made a significant donation to the eye center with which he is affiliated."

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On Golf Course, Trump Talks Health Care With Dr. Rand Paul - NBCNews.com

The long, strange and totally nasty history of Donald Trump and Rand Paul – CNN

I mean, maybe? But the reality is that Trump said a lot -- and I mean a LOT -- of nasty things about Paul during the 2016 presidential campaign.

Here's a brief walk down memory lane, ranked in order of my favorites. (All GIFs courtesy of the remarkable Brenna Williams.)

Trump tweeted this gem in August 2015 following a conference call by Paul's campaign in which the Kentucky Senator described the real estate mogul as a "fake conservative." (More on Paul's greatest hits on Trump below!)

Undermine Paul's very presence on stage? Check. Note his low poll numbers? Check.

Trump put out this statement on Aug. 12, 2015, following Paul releasing a negative ad that called into question Trump's Republican credentials. The cherry on the top of this quote? Trump noting that he had made a "significant donation" to an eye center with which Paul is affiliated.

Ouch.

Knowing condescension is the best kind of condescension.

Paul doesn't have as many amazing putdowns on Trump as the President has on him, but he may have the single best one of their "relationship."

"Donald Trump is a delusional narcissist and an orange-faced windbag," Paul said during an appearance on Comedy Central in January 2016.

"A speck of dirt is way more qualified to be president."

A speck of dirt!

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The long, strange and totally nasty history of Donald Trump and Rand Paul - CNN

Rand Paul calls for Susan Rice to testify under oath – Washington Times

ANALYSIS/OPINION:

Sen. Rand Paul followed a bomb-blaster of a tweet about Susan Rices supposed spying on [the] Trump campaign with a call for her to come to Capitol Hill, take the oath and testify.

She wont. But she should. At the very least, itd be good for the former Barack Obama national security adviser to explain just why she wanted to unmask the names of those in intelligence reports tied to President Donald Trump.

I dont think we should discount how big a deal it was that Susan Rice was looking at these, and she needs to be asked, did President Obama ask her to do this? Was this a directive from President Obama? I think she ought to testify under oath on this, Paul said to reporters, The Hill noted. I think she should be asked under oath, did she reveal it to the Washington Post.

And heres the kicker; Paul put it bluntly.

I think they were illegally basically using an espionage tool to eavesdrop or wiretap if you want to use the word generally on the Trump campaign, he said.

Thats an astonishing accusation but an even more astonishing action, if true. And Rice holds it within her power to clarify.

Paul, shortly after learning of the report from Eli Lake of Bloomberg the one that headlined Susan Rice Sought Names of Trump Associates in Intel tweeted this: Smoking gun found! Obama pal and noted dissembler Susan Rice said to have been spying on Trump campaign.

Paul has used this latest intel-tied revelation to platform a new push for reform of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, FISA, that lets U.S. spy agencies tap into conversations and messaging of non-Americans who are outside the United States, absent going through the constitutional warrant process. Section 702, which gives intel this authority, is due for renewal in Congress in the coming months.

Its been highly criticized by privacy, civil and constitutional rights groups as intrusive and illegal because of its potential to rope in unsuspecting and innocent America citizens on U.S. soil in the surveillance.

Paul called for such intel gathering to be outlawed.

I think it is inappropriate and it should be illegal, he said, The Hill reported. I dont think you should be allowed to listen to Americans conversations without a warrant. They are doing it without a warrant. They are targeting a foreigner and because they are targeting a foreigner they are gathering all of this information on Americans.

And heres why it matters to the current Susan Rice v. Donald Trump issue: Government often operates on a self-serving basis.

Is there a possibility that Susan Rice was political motivated? Lets ask her why she was opening up all of the conversations with Trump transition figures, Paul said.

Yes, lets ask. And if Rice wont answer, that silence will tell volumes.

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Rand Paul calls for Susan Rice to testify under oath - Washington Times