More Republican lawmakers are showing their support for President-elect Joe Biden. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) and Senator Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.) both called for the Biden transition to begin. Senator Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) congratulated Biden, saying in a statement, "President Trump has exhausted all plausible legal options to challenge the result of the presidential race in Pennsylvania."
Lincoln Project co-founder Jennifer Horn told Cheddar on Monday that these decisions, while important, should have happened two weeks ago. "Make no mistake there are no heroes in the Republican Party today."
"The Republican Party has unfortunately abandoned any sense of character or integrity when it comes to this election," Horn said.
The Lincoln Project is a PAC formed by current and former Republican heavyweights against President Donald Trump and the current direction of the GOP.
The group is now turning its attention to Georgia where two crucial Senate races are in runoffs that could tip the scale for the Senate majority. While Republican candidates may worry about doing anything to alienate Trump's supporters before those elections, Horn said, "We also have to remember that Georgia is a very high bar for Democrats to win. It's going to be an extremely difficult race. [That] does not mean at all that it's impossible."
Looking beyond Georgia or even the day Trump leaves office, Horn and the Lincoln Project's work will be far from over. Trump has fundamentally altered the Republican Party, she said, giving it a rock-solid foundation, despite the controversial platform that earned it. Under Trump, Horn noted that the GOP has become "a party that is as close to authoritarianism as we have ever seen in the history of our country." She expects a day of reckoning for the party and says eventually the party will have to make a choice.
"At some point, if the Republican Party wants to be a serious, influential, leading voice in American politics, they're going to have to eventually choose between Trumpism and democracy, Trumpism and America, Trumpism and the Constitution."
Horn is familiar with the inner workings of the GOP, having worked as the chair of the New Hampshire Republican Party in 2013 before she left and helped launch the Lincoln Project. She has repeatedly called for Republicans to stand up against the president but acknowledges that many are afraid to anger his powerful supporters.
"There is no path that I can see for the Republican Party going forward unless they are willing to fully denounce both the damage that Donald Trump has caused in this country and the role that they have played in allowing that to happen," Horn added. "I don't see them doing that anytime soon."
Liana Guzmán, CEO of FOLX Health, joins Cheddar News to discuss the company launching billboards across the country in response to anti-LGBTQ+ legislation.
President Biden has announced an additional $800 million in military assistance to Ukraine, including artillery, armored personnel carriers, and helicopters. It comes as Russian forces appear to be preparing for a new, aggressive offensive in the eastern part of Ukraine. Paul McLeary, defense reporter for Politico, joined Cheddar to discuss this new round of aid and what it means for the U.S. commitment to arming the embattled country.
Catching you up on what you need to know on April 18, 2022, with Russian missile attacks on the Ukrainian city of Lviv killing seven, mass shootings in South Carolina and Pittsburgh, Lucky Charms cereal under official investigation by the FDA, and more.
Activism is growing around the country in response to school boards banning books from shelves that focus on sexuality, gender, identity, or race. Jen Cousins, co-founder of The Florida Freedom to Read Project, joins Cheddar News to discuss.
As the Russian invasion of Ukraine intensifies, President Biden has announced a ban on importing Russian oil, gas, and energy. To discuss how this ban will impact the war and Americans, Amir Handjani, non-resident fellow at Quincy Institute, joins Cheddar News.
Thousands of protesters around the world are expressing their solidarity with Ukraine against Russia's invasion.
Jason Beardsley, national executive director of the Association of the U.S. Navy and national security expert, joins Cheddar News to discuss.
As gas prices surge amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine, other nations could potentially transition faster to using clean energy than previously expected. Philip K. Verleger, a senior fellow at the Niskanen Center, joined Cheddar News to explain how this could be a possibility in the near future. "Part of the reason I think we have this invasion and the tantrum that's being thrown by Russia, terrible tantrum, is because the Russians were trying to slow down the transition," he said. "Ironically they speeded it up."
Following the invasion of Ukraine, a multitude of Western companies have paused doing business with Russia. PepsiCo, Coca-Cola, McDonald's, and Starbucks are the most recent companies to temporarily cease operations in Russia. Dean of Miami Herbert Business School at the University of Miami, John Quelch, joined Cheddar News to discuss what message this sends to Russia and the Russian consumer. “I would not underestimate the collective strength of all of these multinational companies, essentially coming together to make their collective statement in support of the political statements that have come out of Washington," he said.
The war in Ukraine continues to reveal heartbreaking gut-wrenching stories. The war in itself is not only devastating but also expensive. Experts estimate that Russia is draining nearly $20 million dollars each day to continue occupying and invading Ukraine. All this could force the country to turn to cryptocurrencies. It's a major turn for the country that briefly considered outlined digital assets entirely, but it could also have serious implications for cryptos. Managing Director at Quantum Fintech Group, Harry Yeh, joined Cheddar to discuss more.
