Midwest
House small business panel releases year-end report on 'partisan' Biden agency electioneering allegations
EXCLUSIVE: The House Small Business Committee is releasing its year-end interim report on what it found to be the “weaponizing [of] federal resources” for political purposes within the Small Business Administration.
Earlier this year, Rep. Roger Williams, R-Texas, committee chair, issued a rare subpoena to Small Business Administration officials over their work in connection with an official Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) forged with the Michigan Department of State.
The MOU was in accordance with President Biden’s 2021 executive order “14019: Promoting Access to Voting.” However, the committee alleged the SBA had been involved in partisan voter registration outreach in a key swing state – rather than simply aiding voters across the board.
The committee report, obtained exclusively by Fox News Digital, found Biden’s executive order to be an “improper use of executive authority” and that SBA actions in accordance with it thereby “pose unnecessary risks to the integrity of U.S. elections.”
LAWMAKERS SLAM SBA ‘STONEWALLING’ OVER MICHIGAN VOTER MEMO AS ELECTIONEERING CLAIMS SURFACE
“The SBA’s MOU with the State of Michigan and travel patterns of senior SBA officials indicate the conflation of official duty and partisan political activities,” the committee found.
“Either intentionally or negligently, the SBA has failed to refute concerns of this MOU’s partisan nature.”
The committee’s report also found the SBA “strayed from its core mission” in working with Michigan under the voter registration MOU, and that it “engaged in a protracted campaign to obscure the makeup of its implementation of E.O. 14019 and obfuscate the truth of alleged political activities at the SBA to the committee.”
House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., praised the work of the committee and its interim report, saying it rightly exposed “not only the improper use of executive authority but also significant concerns about actions taken by an agency that may jeopardize the integrity of U.S. elections.”
WATCHDOG GROUP SUES FEDS FOR RECORDS AS LAWMAKER CALLS VOTER REGISTRATION EFFORTS A ‘SLAP IN THE FACE’
“The stark contrast between the SBA’s core mission and its involvement in voter registration activities highlights the urgent need for greater transparency and accountability,” Johnson said.
Johnson added he and the GOP caucus are looking forward to working with President-elect Trump to end such “abuses.”
The 47-page report further alleged the SBA exceeded the requirements of state and federal laws, including the National Voter Registration Act of 1993, the Anti-Deficiency Act, and the Hatch Act, which prohibits government officials from politicking in their official capacity.
In May, Williams and his committee, along with Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, demanded travel schedules, official calendars and other documents from the SBA. In addition, at least one Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) suit was separately launched by the right-leaning Oversight Project for some of the same documents as Congress was being purportedly “stonewalled.”
Williams initially accused the SBA and Administrator Isabel Casillas-Guzman of shirking her responsibility to help “Main Street” and instead focusing on registering voters in heavily Democratic parts of Michigan like Detroit and Saginaw – while ignoring committee oversight demands.
Rep. Bryan Steil, R-Wis., chair of the House Administration Committee – whose panel has oversight over legislative matters relating to elections – said that while elections are partisan affairs, election administration should not be.
“The Biden-Harris administration partnering with the Michigan Department of State to use your taxpayer dollars for a partisan purpose should never be allowed,” he said.
KEY BIDEN AGENCY SLAPPED WITH HISTORIC SUBPOENAS OVER ‘IMPROPER’ SWING-STATE VOTER REGISTRATION PUSH
People line up outside a polling station. (Reuters)
Digging into the executive order that the SBA’s actions aimed to align with, Williams’ report found it changed the way the executive branch enforces the National Voter Registration Act, and uniquely requires agency officials to work with the White House to find ways to support federal employees who wish to volunteer as election workers or watchers.
The report added that the choice of Michigan as the petri dish for the SBA’s work under the executive order caught the committee’s attention early, due to its routine status as a swing state and the fact its top officials were “sympath[etic]” to the Biden-Harris campaign.
“This interim report illustrates how the MOU blurs the line between personal political beliefs and the official duties of SBA and Michigan state employees,” the document reads.
The report also included copies of email chains between the White House, SBA and/or outside advocacy organizations.
“The committee discovered that many senior SBA employees have relationships with these left-leaning organizations,” it read.
“Notably, the Biden-Harris Administration ‘warmly welcomed’ these relationships between nonpartisan agencies and left-leaning organizations.”
In summing up and reacting to the report, Williams said the SBA was created to “aid, counsel, assist and protect the interests of small business concerns.”
In previous remarks to Fox News Digital, the top Democrat on Williams’ committee expressed dismay at the subpoenas and investigatory practices by Williams in probing the MOU.
Williams is targeting a partnership started by the Michigan Department of State and Small Business Administration chief Isabel Guzman. (Getty Images)
In a statement, Rep. Nydia Velazquez, D-N.Y., said the committee had long prided itself on “bipartisan cooperation to help American entrepreneurs.”
“Unfortunately, with [these] subpoenas, Republicans have rejected these principles to pursue a partisan inquiry,” Velazquez said.
Representatives for the SBA have repeatedly denied the allegations made by Congress’ investigation.
In October, a spokesperson for Guzman said the explicit allegations of “stonewalling” the committee’s work were “demonstrably false.”
A spokesperson for the SBA told Fox News Digital on Tuesday that any allegations of “stonewalling” are “demonstrably false.”
“For nearly two years, the SBA has cooperated with the committee’s inquiry, testifying at multiple hearings, providing the committee staff with briefings, making agency officials available for transcribed interviews, and producing thousands of pages of documents responsive to their inquiry,” the spokesperson said, calling the allegations “baseless.”
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This week’s Thursday was a relatively crowded slate, with eleven games on the docket compared to the handful we usually see on this day. Though there was not much drama in terms of close games coming down to the wire, there were bunches of runs scored and plenty to talk about. Let’s get into it.
Today’s Headlines
Mets’ Power Bats Propel Them Past Detroit
The New York Mets completed a much-needed three game series sweep over the Detroit Tigers at home on Thursday with a 9-4 win behind a strong pitching performance from Nolan McLean (7.0 IP, 3 ER, 7 K, 6 H, 3 BB) and a power explosion that saw five home runs leave the park off of Met bats. The day started off in Detroit’s favor, with newcomer Gage Workman taking McLean deep in the top of the first inning for a three-run homer to put the visiting team ahead 3-0. Rookie A.J. Ewing answered in the bottom of the third inning with a homer of his own, the first of his career, to put the Mets’ first run of the day on the board. Momentum continued to swing in the Mets favor in the bottom of the fourth, when Brett Baty smacked a two-run homer that just barely cleared the fence, tying the game at 3-3. The Mets would go up for good in the fifth after Juan Soto singled in a run to put the team up 4-3, and Mark Vientos added a two-run homer of his own before the inning ended. Soto and Marcus Semien would tack on homers before this one was through, and Citi Field was left in good spirits heading into a weekend Subway Series against the Yankees. Detroit, on the other hand, has been in a bit of a free fall since Tarik Skubal hit the IL, and will look to right the ship with a home series against Toronto.
Phillies Win a Low-Scoring Affair in Fenway
Stop me if you’ve heard this one already this week — Kyle Schwarber hit a home run in yesterday’s game, his 7th over the last seven games. Schwarber’s league-leading 18th home run helped propel the Phillies to a 3-1 win over the Red Sox, despite 5.1 scoreless innings from their former friend Ranger Suarez, who pitched quite well for Boston in this one. Jesús Luzardo was able to match Suarez, though, keeping Boston off the scoreboard over 6 scoreless innings of his own. The 0-0 deadlock wasn’t broken until the top of the 8th inning, when Kyle Schwarber got a hold of a pitch off of Boston reliever Tyler Samaniego for a 417-ft. two-run blast that put the Phillies up for good.
Philadelphia will now travel to Pittsburgh to take on their in-state rivals, while Boston has the unenviable task of traveling to Atlanta for a three-game series.
White Sox Win Fifth Straight and Move Above .500
Don’t look now, but the Chicago White Sox are above .500 for the first time this season after completing a three-game series sweep over the Kansas City Royals, extending their overall winning streak to five games. Anthony Kay (6 IP, 2 ER, 4 K, 6 H, 2 BB) improved to 3-1 on the year with a fine pitching performance, and the young bats continued to stay hot with two knocks from 2B Chase Meidroth, who improved his season average to a highly respectable .281. Chicago also got some help from veteran Randal Grichuk in this one in the form of a two-run homer, and the South Siders suddenly have reason for optimism.
By The Numbers
0 Per Elias Sports Bureau, no player in New York Mets‘ franchise history had started their big league career by recording a triple and a home run as their first two hits, prior to A.J. Ewing accomplishing the feat this week.
3 Per Elias Sports Bureau, the sweep that the Mets just finished off against the Detroit Tigers was only the third time in Mets’ franchise history that the team completed a three-game series sweep despite trailing by multiple runs in each of the three games.
19 Los Angeles Dodgers RHP Emmett Sheehan induced 19 swing and misses in yesterday’s win over the San Francisco Giants, the most of any pitcher on the day.
442 Athletics 1B Nick Kurtz drilled the most impressive long ball of the day yesterday at a massive 442 feet.
Best Moments From Yesterday
Grandson of the Wind Whips Around the Bases
I always love an inside the park homer, and this season seems to be bringing more than usual so far, partly due to some questionable defensive plays in the outfield. It’s easy to criticize from the couch, but I think even Teoscar Hernández would admit that he should have played this ball a bit better especially considering that it’s in his own home park. Either way, enjoy watching San Francisco’s Jung-Hoo Lee (nicknamed ‘Grandson of the Wind’ due to being the son of KBO legend Lee Jong-beom, who was originally ‘Son of the Wind’) fly around the bases here on his inside the park homer during the Giant’s 5-2 loss to the Dodgers yesterday.
Will Smith…The Leadoff Hitter?
With Shohei Ohtani being given a rest on the day after another masterful pitching performance, Dodgers’ catcher Will Smith got his first career start in the leadoff role last night and he did not disappoint, taking Giants starter Landen Roupp deep in his very first at-bat.
What Can’t McGonigle Do?
As the Detroit Tigers‘ phenom rookie Kevin McGonigle continues to impress at the plate and on the base-paths, don’t forget about what the kid can do with the glove. He absolutely robbed the Mets’ Bo Bichette of a base hit yesterday with one of the more impressive catches you’ll see all year.
May the Force Be With You
With teams all around the league celebrating Star Wars lately, the Mets got in on the action on Thursday with a first pitch that involved Mr. Met dressed as The Mandalorian, throwing Grogu to Mrs. Met. And that was a sentence that I never anticipated typing this season.
Baseball Has a New No. 1 Prospect
With Pittsburgh’s Konnor Griffin (formerly No. 1) recently graduating from the prospect list, we now have a new No. 1 ranked prospect in the game. Congratulations to Milwaukee’s Jesús Made, a freakishly athletic shortstop who has all the tools to become the game’s next superstar.
Injuries and Other Moves
⚾ Seattle Mariners placed C Cal Raleigh on the 10-day IL with a right oblique strain, which can typically linger longer than those minimum ten days.
⚾ Colorado Rockies placed RHP Jimmy Herget on the 15-day IL (right shoulder impingement) retroactive to May 13.
⚾ Lots of unknowns here still, but keep an eye on a developing story involving Los Angeles Dodgers‘ reliever Edwin Díaz, who has been linked to cockfighting events in Puerto Rico based on photos found on social media by USA Today investigative reporters.
Articles You Should Read
“George Kirby is Unrecognizable” — Nate Schwartz, Pitcher List
“You’re Probably Underrating Dylan Lee” — Ben Clemens, FanGraphs
“Buy, Sell, or Hold These Three Struggling Starters?” — Corbin Young, FanGraphs
Fantasy Baseball Coverage
Starting Pitcher Roundup
Hitter Performances
Waiver Wire Picks
Starting Pitcher Streamers
MILWAUKEE — Five teenagers were arrested on Thursday following a police pursuit that started on the 5500 block of W. Silver Spring Drive at around 10 a.m.
The teenagers were seen by the Milwaukee Police Department in a wanted vehicle that was involved in an armed robbery, and attempted to stop the vehicle.
The driver refused to stop, starting the police pursuit.
TMJ4
The pursuit ended when the suspect exited the vehicle and started to run on foot on W. Appleton Place, according to MPD.
MPD then arrested a 16-year-old female, a 16-year-old male, two 17-year-old females, and a 15-year-old male.
Criminal charges will be referred to the Milwaukee County District Attorney’s Office.
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