Tag Archives: John Brennan

Senators Caving To Obama’s EPA Nominee

July 13, 2013 Bartle Doo Leave a comment

Right now our nation is almost falling apart and it seems that no one has any backbone to stand up not just against Barack Obama, but all those that he places into office! From what has happened in recent times, with the many scandals and little action being taken on them, it now seems that maybe the people in Congress should just stay home. Perhaps they should not collect a penny, because none of them seem to care or even think of what will happen next week much less 20 years from now because of their inaction. Senator David Vitter (R-LA), a recent power to be dealt with, now seems to be caving to the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) nominee Gina McCarthy because she answered questions right! Come on now, once she gets into her office, she will do just as Obama tells her to do! Yes, both sides are now almost a total waste for being in Washington, D.C. unless they have the big names with them; the common people do not really matter.

Let us take an early example of this with Senator Mary Landrieu (D-LA) when she voted not to make English the national language. Now let us jump forward to today and check out Senator David Vitter and what he is about to do. Senator David Vitter, along with others, are now thinking of allowing Obama to have his EPA head so he can continue to stop coal, oil, and natural gas!

Just today we learn that Senator David Vitter whom once had stated that he would filibuster her nomination, is now thinking of confirmation her.

We have to wonder just what is Senator David Vitter giving up to do this?

We asked his office and we got no comment, leaving us to wonder why the change of heart and why the support of someone who will be used to destroy the coal industry, put people out of work and help to cause energy prices to skyrocket. What did they get in return for their not stopping the nomination because we do know that most of the time something is given up or given away when a vote switches? We just have to wonder anyway just what good is Congress since Obama seems to be able to not just ignore the Constitution, but do as he pleases, much like a Dictator rather than a President.

Read more at Freedom Outpost. By Leon Puissegur.

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Congressman Challenges Colleagues To Press Obama On Benghazi

April 11, 2013 Bartle Doo Leave a comment

By Congressman Steve Stockman (R-TX)

WASHINGTON – Congressman Steve Stockman (R-Texas 36) released the following open letter to Congress Tuesday afternoon, encouraging members to support Congressman Frank Wolf’s bill creating a Select Committee to investigate the Obama administration’s response to the Sept. 11, 2012 killings of Americans in Benghazi, Libya.

Dear Colleague:

As a fellow member of this body, I feel that we should protect and honor the sacrifice of those who sacrifice their lives to provide us with the freedoms that make our nation great.

In that same spirit, we should investigate and seek the truth about what happened on that tragic day in Benghazi, Libya on September 11, 2012.

These four men served their nation with honor and character in the face of danger, and we likewise should honor their memory in seeking the truth about what actually took place that fateful day.

The purpose of this letter is to encourage colleagues of the House of Representatives to support Congressman Wolf’s H.Res. 36, which will create a House Select Committee on the Terrorist Attack in Benghazi.

It is essential that a full accounting of the events of September 11, 2012, be provided and that the American public be fully informed regarding this egregious terrorist attack on US diplomatic personnel and facilities.

We owe that truth to the American people and the families of the fallen.

It appears that many of the facts and details surrounding the terrorist attack which resulted in four American deaths and an undetermined number of American casualties have not yet been ascertained by previous hearings and inquiries.

Additional information is now slowly surfacing in the media, which makes a comprehensive bipartisan inquiry an imperative. Many questions have not been answered thus far.

The House Select Committee should address, at a minimum, the following questions:

1. Why was there no military response to the events in Benghazi?

a.       Were military assets in the region available? If not, why not?

b.      If so, were they alerted?

c.       Were assets deployed to any location in preparation for a rescue or recovery attempt?

d.      Was military assistance requested by the Department of State? If so, what type?

e.       Were any US Army/Naval/USMC assets available to support the US diplomats in Benghazi during the attack?

f.        What, if any, recommendations for military action were made by DOD and the US Africa Command?

2. What, if any, non-military assistance was provided during the attack?

3. How many US personnel were injured in Benghazi?

4. Why have the survivors of the attack not been questioned?

5. Where are the survivors?

6. Who was in the White House Situation Room (WHSR) during the entire 8-hour period of the attacks, and was a senior US military officer present?

7. Where were Leon Panetta and General Martin Dempsey during the crisis, and what inputs and recommendations did they make?

8. Where were Tom Donilon, the National Security Advisor, Denis McDonough, his deputy, Valerie Jarrett and John Brennan during the attacks, and what (if any) recommendations or decisions did any of them make?

9. Why were F-16 fighter aircraft based in Aviano, Italy (less than two hours away) never considered a viable option for disruption (if not dispersal) of the attackers until “boots on the ground” (troop support–General Dempsey’s words) arrived?

10. Were any

From: http://www.westernjournalism.com/congressman-challenges-colleagues-to-press-obama-on-benghazi/

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Drone Warfare In America

April 9, 2013 Bartle Doo Leave a comment

By Floyd Brown

Republican Democrat SC Divide And Conquer Fair And Balanced

In early March, Senator Rand Paul had America buzzing about drones. They were the highlight of his 13-hour filibuster against John Brennan, Barack Obama’s nominee to be director of the CIA. Paul’s intention was not to actually stop the nomination of Brennan – he knew the filibuster would fail. Instead, he wished to turn the nation’s attention to the use of drone-fired missiles to kill American citizens and others around the globe.

Paul repeatedly cited the Fifth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, part of our cherished Bill of Rights, saying: “The Fifth Amendment… should protect you from a president that might kill you with a drone.”

“You can’t be judge, jury and executioner all in one,” Paul warned.

Well, John Brennan tried to play that role when executing Americans at the behest of Barack Obama’s War on Terror strategy. Even George W. Bush put terrorists in Guantanamo Bay before bringing them to trial. Obama just dispensed with the trials and moved right to summary execution.

Sadly, Brennan was confirmed, and the missile-mounted drones continue to fly.

“Are you going to just drop a Hellfire missile on Jane Fonda?”

So are drones (or unmanned aircraft systems–UASs–as they are called by the military) useful? Sure – in war zones. They are good for spying on the enemy and targeting enemy forces and supplies.

But even in these situations, drones have scary consequences. By some accounts in the foreign press, secret drone attacks have killed an estimated 4,700 people – nearly one quarter have been civilians, and as many as 200 are reportedly children.

And worse yet, the Obama administration admitted to targeting Americans and foreign nationals (albeit those in terror groups).

They also claim the legal authority to kill U.S. citizens without a trial (even here in America) as long as the target is linked to a terrorist organization.

Look, I am not alone in being very suspicious of these powers. As government agencies increase the use of drone technology, opportunities for abuse grow exponentially, especially when the Obama administration reserves the right to kill Americans without due process.

U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder recently defended using lethal force against Americans in America, saying it would be considered legal and justified in an “extraordinary circumstance.”

“The President could conceivably have no choice but to authorize the military to use such force if necessary to protect the homeland,” Holder concluded.

10,000 New Drones By 2020

If the Obama administration’s life-extinguishing policy wasn’t enough, get this: A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) report anticipates 10,000 new civilian drones will be flying the skies of America by the year 2020.

Sound outlandish? It’s not. Since 2007, the FAA has issued 1,428 licenses to police, universities, and federal agencies to fly drones domestically.

This sounds like a perfect storm of threats to privacy and security. Imagine these drones spying on your business or even your teenage daughter as she sunbathes next to the backyard pool.

Sounding the Alarm Bells

In December 2011, The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) issued a report entitled “Protecting Privacy from Aerial Surveillance” that warned of the potential “mission …read more

Source: FULL ARTICLE at Western Journalism

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John McCain Urges Republicans Not To Filibuster Gun Control

April 7, 2013 Bartle Doo Leave a comment

By The Huffington Post News Editors

John McCain on Sunday urged Republicans not to filibuster new gun control legislation.

“I don’t understand it. The purpose of the United States Senate is to debate and to vote and to let the people know where we stand,” he said on CBS’ Face The Nation. “I would not only encourage it, I don’t understand it. What are we afraid of?”

Senator Rand Paul (R-Ky.) has vowed has vowedo filibuster gun control. Paul has referred to the bill as “oppression of a government.” A dozen other senators have promised to join Paul, who also filibustered John Brennan’s confirmation as CIA director.

Video: Protests Against Obama’s Drone Use Hit New York

April 4, 2013 Bartle Doo Leave a comment

By NewsEditor

Washington’s overseas drone strikes and their surveillance use at home has long attracted the attention of activists. Groups across the U.S. political spectrum say the strikes breach American law and hurt the country’s international standing. Now a month-long anti-drone campaign has kicked off, with a protest in Manhattan.

News, Politics, Government

GOP senator: Time to change military force law

March 20, 2013 Bartle Doo Leave a comment

The top Republican on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee said Wednesday that Congress should overhaul the 2001 authorization for the use of military force to encompass the use of drones for targeted killings.

Weighing in on an issue of both national security and civil liberties, Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tenn., said the law passed days after the Sept. 11 terror attacks needs to be revised to deal with emerging threats and ensure greater congressional oversight.

“For far too long, Congress has failed to fully exercise its constitutional responsibility to authorize the use of military force, including in the current struggle against al-Qaida, so I urge the committee to consider updating current anti-terrorism authorities to adapt to threats that did not exist in 2001 and to better protect our nation while upholding our morals and values,” Corker said at the start of a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on counterterrorism.

The law gave President George W. Bush the authority to launch the invasion of Afghanistan and target al-Qaida, saying the commander in chief has the authority to attack “nations, organizations or persons he determines planned, authorized, committed or aided the terrorist attacks that occurred on Sept. 11, 2001, or harbored such organizations or persons, in order to prevent any future acts of international terrorism against the United States by such nations, organizations or persons.”

Since then, President Barack Obama has used the law‘s authority to target terrorists with fatal drone strikes, including Americans overseas.

The issue came to the forefront in recent weeks as Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., waged a nearly 13-hour filibuster of John Brennan‘s nomination for CIA director over the president’s authority to use drones in the United States. The Senate eventually confirmed Brennan.

Corker said the Foreign Relations Committee, which has jurisdiction, should put “in place specific policy guidance for how and when the president can use these authorities, including lethal action and the use of drones, in regular consultation with Congress, so we can restore the appropriate balance of power between the legislative and executive branches of government while maintaining flexibility for the president to respond swiftly under threat of attack.”

Former Rep. Jane Harman, D-Calif., now the president of The Wilson Center, told the committee that she never imagined that 12 years after the law that it would be used against disparate enemies.

The No. 2 Democrat in the Senate, Dick Durbin of …read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at Fox US News

Computers

Site hosting leaked celebrity data goes offline

March 18, 2013 Bartle Doo Leave a comment

A site that published the private information and credit reports of several celebrities and other public figures last week went offline on Sunday. The last person to have his alleged private information exposed on the site was CIA director John Brennan. …read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at Computerworld Latest

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One Man With Courage Makes A Majority

March 11, 2013 Bartle Doo Leave a comment

By Richard Larsen

RandPaulThink One Man With Courage Makes a Majority

“One man with courage makes a majority,” penned Thomas Jefferson. When that courage is armed with principle and backed by constitutional precepts, it’s formidable. Such was the case this week when Kentucky’s Junior Senator, Rand Paul, took to the floor of the senate in a one-man filibuster, reminiscent of the 1939 “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington.”

Unlike his counterpart in the classic Frank Capra film, however, Paul’s filibuster was over constitutional principles, and citizen rights. The issue for him was whether the President of the United States was presumed to have power to supercede the 4^th, 5^th, and 6^th Amendments to the Constitution by killing American citizens, on American soil, with unmanned aerial devices (UAV), or drones.

The setting was the confirmation of John Brennan as the new director of the Central Intelligence Agency. Brennan refused to answer Paul’s question during the Senate sub-committee confirmation hearing regarding the use of drones to attack American citizens domestically. Senator Paul was appalled at the idea that the administration would even consider using drones domestically without a citizen ever having been charged with a crime in a court of law.

An American Civil Liberty Union (ACLU) lawyer, Nate Wessler, validated Paul’s premise in an interview this week, when he referred to the administration as, “Judge, jury, and executioner,” if they used drones domestically.

Drones have been used to kill Americans on foreign soil. In 2011 a drone strike targeted, and killed, Anwar al-Awlaki, a radical Islamic cleric born and educated in the United States.

Since Brennan refused to answer the question, Paul sought clarification from Attorney General Eric Holder. In a March 4 letter to Paul, Holder superciliously said the Obama administration believes it could “hypothetically” carry out drone strikes against Americans on U.S. soil, but “has no intention of doing so.” Such a response was hardly comforting.

Holder declared, “The question you have posed is therefore entirely hypothetical, unlikely to occur, and one we hope no president will ever have to confront. It is possible, I suppose, to imagine an extraordinary circumstance in which it would be necessary and appropriate under the Constitution and applicable laws of the United States for the President to authorize the military to use lethal force within the territory of the United States.”

That Holder would declare the issue to be “entirely hypothetical,” leads one to believe he’s not at all familiar with how the technology has been, and is being used by the administration. And that he would merely “suppose” that “it is possible,” clearly indicates not much thought had been applied to the issue, a sobering admission from the government’s top attorney.

Senator Paul said, beginning his thirteen hour filibuster, “I will speak as long as it takes, until the alarm is sounded from coast to coast that our Constitution is important, that your rights to trial by jury are precious, that no American should be killed by a drone on American soil without first being charged with a crime, without first being found to be guilty by a court. That Americans could …read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at Western Journalism

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Senate Clears Brennan As CIA Chief

March 8, 2013 Bartle Doo Leave a comment

By Breaking News

CIA seal SC Senate clears Brennan as CIA chief

WASHINGTON — John Brennan won Senate confirmation Thursday to head the CIA after a late struggle that had more to do with presidential power to order drone strikes than with the nominee’s credentials to lead the spy agency.

The Senate voted 63-34 to give Brennan the top job at the nation’s spy agency. He will replace Michael Morrell, the acting CIA director since November.

The vote came after the Obama administration bowed to demands from Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., to specify limits on the president’s authority to order drone strikes against American citizens in the United States.

Paul declared he was satisfied with the administration’s statement, which said the president does not have the authority to use a drone to kill an American not engaged in combat on American soil.

Brennan’s credentials to head the CIA were scarcely mentioned in a final 24-hour stretch of political and constitutional drama surrounding his nomination.

Rand Paul's Filibuster: A Three Part Triumph

March 7, 2013 Bartle Doo Leave a comment

By James Poulos, Contributor

For libertarians, Rand Paul‘s nearly thirteen-hour filibuster against Obama CIA nominee John Brennan was some of the most inspiring political theater they’d seen in a long time. Instead of reading the phone book, Paul used his time to lay out his argument against the domestic use of drones — and a bit else besides. (There were Lochner references!) From the standpoint of someone hoping to counteract ‘epistemic closure’ on the right, it was a good day yesterday. …read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at Forbes Latest

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Lindsey Graham: John Brennan Has His Vote For CIA Director Because Of Rand Paul Filibuster

March 7, 2013 Bartle Doo Leave a comment

By The Huffington Post News Editors

WASHINGTON — Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) said Thursday he would vote for CIA director nominee John Brennan because Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) filibustered his appointment over questions about President Barack Obama‘s drone program.

“I was going to vote against him until the filibuster, so he picked up one vote,” Graham said, laughing to reporters in the Capitol.

“I thought Brennan was arrogant, a bit shifty,” he said, adding that he was going to vote for Brennan because the vote had become a “referendum on the drone program.”

Rand Paul Shows Senate How It's Done

March 7, 2013 Bartle Doo Leave a comment

By Kevin Spak Rand Paul’s old-fashioned talking filibuster may not derail John Brennan‘s nomination, but pundits are almost universally praising the Kentucky senator’s moxie. Here’s what people are saying: “It became clear as the Kentucky Republican talked (and talked) that he was creating a major moment for a party that hasn’t had very… …read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at Newser – Home

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Video: “I WIll Not…Let Obama Shred The Constitution”

March 7, 2013 Bartle Doo Leave a comment

By Daniel Noe

Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) was on the Senate floor yesterday trying to block the nomination of John Brennan as the next CIA director.

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Sen. Rand Paul Tweets During His Filibuster

March 7, 2013 Bartle Doo Leave a comment

By The Huffington Post News Editors

Senator Rand Paul spent what seemed like all of Wednesday speaking on the Senate floor in order to filibuster the nomination of John Brennan as CIA director. Paul spoke for so long that the website IsRandPaulStillTalking.com was created to monitor his progress. He spent almost 13 hours speaking, which is mind-boggling in itself — but what is most astonishing is that he was also tweeting throughout the entire thing.

The filibuster was streamed live on C-Span, and it was clear that Paul was not using his phone or computer to tweet as he talked on the Senate floor. At the same time, the senator was tweeting incessantly, so it seems clear that someone else is running his Twitter account. We have reached out to Senator Paul‘s office for comment and will update if they respond.

Here are a few tweets from the time when Paul was speaking to the Senate:

Senator Uses Old-style Filibuster On CIA Nominee

March 7, 2013 Bartle Doo Leave a comment

By Breaking News

Rand Paul SC Senator uses old style filibuster on CIA nominee

WASHINGTON — A Republican senator and tea party favorite from Kentucky used an old-style filibuster lasting nearly 13 hours to take control of the chamber and block Senate confirmation of John Brennan’s nomination to be CIA director.

Sen. Rand Paul ended his filibuster Thursday shortly after midnight, but Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, also a Kentucky Republican, said he would continue to oppose Brennan’s confirmation and resist ending the debate on President Barack Obama’s nominee to lead the spy agency.

Speaking hours later on the Senate floor, McConnell said Paul deserves an answer from Attorney General Eric Holder on whether the Obama administration has authority to use lethal force against a suspected terrorist who is a U.S. citizen.

“It simply doesn’t have that right, and the administration should just answer the question,” McConnell said. “There is no reason we cannot get this question answered today, and we should get this question answered today. Frankly, it should have been answered a long time ago.”

The Obama administration has said it has not conducted such operations inside U.S. borders, nor does it intend to. Paul and backers said that wasn’t good enough. They wanted the White House to rule out the possibility of them happening altogether.

Read More at OfficialWire . By Richard Lardner.

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Senator Ends Long Floor Speech Blocking CIA Pick

March 7, 2013 Bartle Doo Leave a comment

By Breaking News

Rand Paul 4 SC Senator ends long floor speech blocking CIA pick

WASHINGTON— A tea party senator from Kentucky used an old-style filibuster lasting nearly 13 hours to block Senate confirmation of John Brennan’s nomination to be CIA director.

Sen. Rand Paul ended his filibuster shortly after midnight, but Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, also a Kentucky Republican, said he would continue to oppose Brennan’s confirmation and try to keep the debate going.

After Paul yielded the floor, Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., filed a motion to cut off debate on Brennan’s nomination and bring it up for a vote.

Paul ended his lengthy speech with a joke. He said that he was tempted to go another 12 hours and try to break former South Carolina Sen. Strom Thurmond’s filibuster record of 24 hours, but he needed to use the bathroom.

“I discovered that there are some limits to filibustering and I’m going to have to go and take care of one of those in a few minutes,” Paul said.

Read More at OfficialWire . By Richard Lardner.

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The Benghazi Stonewall Cracks Again, As Clues To The “Talking Point” Vandals Emerge

March 7, 2013 Bartle Doo Leave a comment

By Breaking News

White House SC The Benghazi Stonewall Cracks Again, as Clues to the Talking Point Vandals Emerge

Shazam! The night before Rand Paul’s filibuster of CIA director nominee John Brennan got under way, and days after the unlovely conclusion of the Chuck Hagel Defense Secretary drama, the Obama Administration suddenly decided to cough up some of the documents congressional investigators (and Sharyl Attkisson of CBS News) have been trying to see for five months. Attkisson took a look through these “voluminous” documents and found some interesting stuff:

Documents provided include emails regarding “who changed the Benghazi talking points” and many communications between officials in Libya and Washington, D.C., leading up to and during the attack.

Regarding the talking points: one source who reviewed the documents said removal of the word “al Qaeda” from the talking points was initiated, at least in part, by one of the “press shops.” The source said press officers from the Defense Intelligence agency, the White House and the FBI were “looped in” from the start and that some of them expressed concerns in writing that the media would ask follow up questions if certain words or phrases were used. The source added that the Director of National Intelligence James Clapper and then-Deputy CIA Director Michael Morell were included in these emails.

When asked whether Clapper and Morell misled Congress when they didn’t disclose who changed the talking points (because they knew), one source said “the exact right question wasn’t asked.”

Read More at humanevents.com . By John Hayward.

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Rand Paul Ends Filibuster Of John Brennan Confirmation After Nearly 13 Hours

March 7, 2013 Bartle Doo Leave a comment

By The Huffington Post News Editors

After nearly 13 hours on the Senate floor, Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) has ended his filibuster of the nomination of John Brennan as director of the Central Intelligence Agency.

“I will speak until I can no longer speak,” Paul said at the beginning of the filibuster, which he used to address concerns over President Obama‘s policies on civil liberties, including the president’s controversial drone program.

The Huffington Post’s Luke Johnson reported Wednesday:

Mitch McConnell Joins Rand Paul Filibuster Of John Brennan Nomination

March 7, 2013 Bartle Doo Leave a comment

By The Huffington Post News Editors

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell joined fellow Kentucky Republican Sen. Rand Paul‘s filibuster of John Brennan‘s nomination for CIA director, praising Paul for his “tenacity” and “conviction.”

As Paul’s filibuster, which began on Wednesday morning, neared the 12 hour mark, McConnell made an appearance on the Senate floor to voice his support for his colleague’s efforts.

“I think it’s entirely appropriate that the senator from Kentucky engage in an extended debate with the support of his colleagues,” McConnell said.

Paul mounts Senate filibuster of Obama's CIA nominee over drone concerns

March 7, 2013 Bartle Doo Leave a comment

Sen. Rand Paul launched into an old-fashioned filibuster on the Senate floor Wednesday as he tried to hold up the nomination of John Brennan for CIA director over concerns about the president’s authority to kill Americans with drones.

Bartle Doo Article Archives

Tag Archives: John Brennan

Senators Caving To Obama’s EPA Nominee

Congressman Challenges Colleagues To Press Obama On Benghazi

Drone Warfare In America

John McCain Urges Republicans Not To Filibuster Gun Control

Video: Protests Against Obama’s Drone Use Hit New York

GOP senator: Time to change military force law

Site hosting leaked celebrity data goes offline

One Man With Courage Makes A Majority

Senate Clears Brennan As CIA Chief

Rand Paul's Filibuster: A Three Part Triumph

Lindsey Graham: John Brennan Has His Vote For CIA Director Because Of Rand Paul Filibuster

Rand Paul Shows Senate How It's Done

Video: “I WIll Not…Let Obama Shred The Constitution”

Sen. Rand Paul Tweets During His Filibuster

Senator Uses Old-style Filibuster On CIA Nominee

Senator Ends Long Floor Speech Blocking CIA Pick

The Benghazi Stonewall Cracks Again, As Clues To The “Talking Point” Vandals Emerge

Rand Paul Ends Filibuster Of John Brennan Confirmation After Nearly 13 Hours

Mitch McConnell Joins Rand Paul Filibuster Of John Brennan Nomination

Paul mounts Senate filibuster of Obama's CIA nominee over drone concerns

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