Presidential candidate Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D-Hawaii) joined families of 9/11 victims and first responders Tuesday as she called on the Trump administration and the FBI to release documents that she said could implicate Saudi Arabia for its role in the attacks.
"Eighteen years ago, our nation was attacked by Al-Qaeda," Gabbard said at the 9/11 Tribute Museum in New York City, just blocks from Ground Zero. "We still don't fully know whether or not they were aided by the Saudi government, enabling them to successfully attack our nation."
Gabbard noted that the attacks ultimately lead to her decision to serve in the military, where she still serves as a major in the Army National Guard."I was determined to defeat and destroy the evil that visited us on September 11th."
Now Gabbard plans to re-introduce House Resolution Urging the release of information regarding the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks upon the United States to Congress, originally introduced in 2017, which would release what she calls the, "declassified version that actually speaks to the truth of what led to that attack."
John Feal, a 9/11 first-responder well-known for his efforts to secure the reauthorization of the Victims Compensation Fund (VCF), expressed optimism Tuesday in getting the resolution done: "I guarantee that we will get this done because I do not do anything — anything — that fails," he said.
Yet, President Trump's critics, like Gabbard, are concerned about his relationship with the Saudi Kingdom.
On Monday, the White House noted Trump spoke with the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, who "congratulated the President on the United States' successful mission to bring ISIS founder and leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi to justice."
Speaking to reporters on October 16, Trump announced U.S. troops will be sent to Saudi Arabia because the country has been "a very good ally."
Gabbard explained Tuesday, "Families who lost their loved ones want the truth, and they deserve the truth."
When Cheddar asked if she has a message for Trump, Gabbard said, "Stand with the American people that you took the oath to serve, not the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, not Prince Mohammad Bin Salman."
"Stand up and be the leader that he promised to be and honor the great sacrifice of those families and first responders who are gathered here today, the great sacrifice that continues to be made by servicemen and women, by sharing the truth, and standing with the American people," she added.
Just last week, Gabbard announced she would not seek re-election to the House of Representatives in order to focus on her presidential campaign. In a new poll released Tuesday, Gabbard hit 5 percent in New Hampshire, inching her closer to qualifying for the November debates.
Updated October 30, 2019 to refer to the House Resolution by name.
The PGA has suspended 17 golfers, including Phil Mickelson and Dustin Johnson, who are competing in a Saudi-backed golf event outside of London. In a memo, commissioner Jay Monahan said "these players have made their choice for their own financial-based reasons", announcing they are ineligible to participate on the PGA tour or any other tours it sanctions. Hugh Kellenberger, Senior Managing Editor at the Athletic, breaks down the controversy, and what might happen next.
U.S. stocks closed Friday at session lows after May CPI data showed inflation in the U.S. has not peaked and is still rising rapidly. For the week, the S&P fell 5.06%, the Dow lost 4.58%, and the Nasdaq dropped 5.60%, marking the worst week since January for all three major indexes. Mike Zigmont, Head of Trading and Research at Harvest Volatility Management, joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss.
Benefits brokerage, Nava Benefits, raised $40 million in a Series B round. Nava says it's on a mission to fix healthcare, one benefits plan at a time. The startup is working to bring benefits to small business that are normally available to only Fortune 500 companies. Brandon Weber, Co-Founder and CEO of Nava Benefits, joined Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss.
The House Select Committee investigating the Jan. 6 riots on Capitol Hill held its first primetime hearing on Thursday. Cheddar News speaks with legal analyst Tracy Pearson, who breaks down the biggest takeaways.
Fuel and oil prices have risen almost 17 percent since May, making the national gas prices reach nearly $5 a gallon. Andrew Lipow from consulting firm Lipow Oil Associates joined Cheddar News to discuss the future of gas prices. "The biggest issue on the oil market is really events that are beyond our control, which is what is happening over in Europe," he said, regarding the ongoing Russia Ukraine war. Lipow also said he predicted gas prices to hit $5.05 and that he's focused on the Biden administration's overtures in repairing a relationship with Saudi Arabia.
March For Our Lives will be returning this weekend to Washington, DC, in the wake of the recent mass shooting seen throughout the country. Marchers include Yolanda Renee King, the only granddaughter of Martin Luther King Jr. She joined Cheddar News to discuss the importance of the march and activism in general. "I just think that it's so important to have these rallies because we need to demand to our leaders and politicians that they pass legislation and that and we actually need to see action," she said.
Erika Alexander and Whitney Dow, directors of 'The Big Payback,' join Cheddar News to discuss their new film, 'The Big Payback.' It premieres Saturday, June 11 at the Tribeca Festival.
President Biden proposed a new rule that would add 500,000 chargers for electric vehicles nationwide. The proposal comes amid the rapid shift to EVs with dozens of automakers announcing plans for all-electric fleets within the next decade. But with the new surge will the U.S. have the proper infrastructure to keep up? Scott Painter, founder and CEO of Autonomy.com joined Cheddar's Opening Bell to discuss. "I really think the idea of standardization is a big deal. Standardization certainly makes it much better for everybody to be able to get a charge when they need one," he said.
The House select committee investigating the January 6th riots on Capitol Hill is opening its landmark series of public hearings. Cheddar News speaks with Mike Sozan, senior fellow at the Center for American Progress who explains how to follow the hearings and what to expect.
