Why One Republican Congressman Says We Should Purge The FBI
Taking on the credibility of the FBI has become increasingly common in the Trump era, but one Congressman took it to a new level this week. In an interview on MSNBC, Rep. Francis Rooney (R-FL) said that the FBI and Department of Justice should be purged of anti-Trump bureaucrats.
Jack Hunter, Editor at Rare Politics, discusses why Rep. Rooney's comments are concerning. Hunter says it echoes authoritarian rhetoric, which has been on the rise in recent years.
Hunter also discusses what is likely to be on the Republican political agenda in 2018. Despite Speaker Paul Ryan's goal of reforming entitlement programs like Medicare and Medicaid, it's unlikely that will make the list. Many Republican Senators and Congressmen say they plan to take on infrastructure reform next. Republicans will officially decide on their policy agenda at their annual conference in West Virginia at the end of January.
The Biden Administration has officially extended a ban on a Trump-era policy that prohibits traveling with a U.S. passport to North Korea. The extension is expected to last until August 2022. The ban was initially enforced after the death of Otto Warmbier, who entered a vegetative state while in North Korean custody. Advocates against the ban argue that it has caused crippling impacts on Korean Americans who have not been able to reunite with their families back home. Senior Fellow at The Foundation For Defense of Democracies Anthony Ruggiero joined Cheddar's News Wrap to discuss more.
There has been a series of violent attacks in Afghanistan in the past week as U.S. troops withdrawal deadline approaches. The evacuation effort is winding down with 1,200 people evacuated in the last 24 hours, compared to last week's 24-hour span high of 21,000, and it is reported that there are around 250 people still waiting to be airlifted.
Dan Lamothe, national security reporter at The Washington Post, joined Cheddar's Opening Bell to discuss more on what is going to happen when all evacuation and withdrawal missions are completed.
Futures pointed to a slightly higher open on the heels of Fed Chair Jerome Powell saying the central bank is on track to taper its asset purchases later this year. Milton Ezrati, Chief Economist at Vested joined Wake Up with Cheddar to discuss.
