Mitch McConnell news stories on Newser

DC's 50 Most Powerful People

Evann Gastaldo — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 16:39:34 CST

Who are the real power brokers in Washington? GQ names the top 50 in its biennial list of the most powerful people in DC—although, the magazine notes, "People with the last names Obama and Biden not included." The top five: Eric Cantor : The House majority leader is definitely the...

Reid Delays Anti-Piracy Vote

Kevin Spak — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 09:38:05 CST

Harry Reid has postponed Tuesday's test vote on the Senate's anti-piracy bill, after a storm of online protests convinced several of the bill's co-sponsors to switch sides, the AP reports. Democrats have now emerged as the main backers of the PROTECT IP Act, the Wall Street Journal reports; at least...

Buffett Dares GOP to Donate More Taxes

Kevin Spak — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 07:01:01 CST

Warren Buffett's ready to donate money to pay down the national debt—provided Republicans lawmakers do so first. When Buffett called for higher taxes on the rich last year, Mitch McConnell and many other Republicans told him to " send in a check ," and John Thune even introduced the "Buffett Rule...

Out of Congress, Ideas but No Compromise

Kate Schwartz — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 11:34:25 CST

The theme of the day is compromise—at least, politicians offering their ideas about what a compromise should look like, without deciding to actually compromise. Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell came out with one of his own, in what Politico describes as "a blow to House Republicans." McConnell's idea: House...

Pipeline May End Up in Final Tax Deal

Matt Cantor — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 12:30:05 CST

Republican lawmakers are determined to push through a measure speeding a White House decision on the Keystone XL pipeline—and they're ready to link it to the payroll tax cut extension. If the Senate sends the House legislation that extends the tax break, as well as jobless benefits and the...

Unemployed Hold Sit-In in Mitch McConnell's Office

Kevin Spak — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 12:28:05 CDT

A group of about 30 unemployed people spent all day sitting in Mitch McConnell’s office yesterday, insisting that they would not leave until they spoke with the Senate minority leader. They sat quietly in his waiting room, occupying every chair in the office and much of the floor, the Huffington...

Senate Feud Surfaces Over College Football

Kevin Spak — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 15:21:05 CDT

A war is brewing in the Senate over… college football? Yep. Mitch McConnell is making a zero-hour backroom push to get Louisville into the Big 12, calling officials at the conference’s other schools to sing his beloved alma mater’s praises, sources tell Politico . That’s put him in direct confrontation with...

Hillary Clinton: Gadhafi Death a 'Great Relief'

Polly Davis Doig — Sun, 23 Oct 2011 13:27:17 CDT

Add Hillary Clinton to the list of people not exactly choking back tears over Moammar Gadhafi's death: The secretary of state today said that while "no one wants to see any human being" meet such a grisly end, "I know what a great relief it was to millions of Libyans...

Obama Jobs Bill Heads to Senate to Die

Kevin Spak — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 11:13:05 CDT

The Senate will hold a vote to begin debate on President Obama's jobs bill today, but Republicans are likely to filibuster the measure, denying it the 60 votes it needs, the AP reports. Republicans have been signaling their opposition, likening the bill to 2009's stimulus, which Republicans regard as a...