Latest news with #MikeLee
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Jon Stewart and Tina Smith roast MAGA Senator Mike Lee over Minnesota shooting tweets
Jon Stewart joined Senator Tina Smith in tearing into MAGA Republican Mike Lee over his response to the shootings in Minnesota this weekend, which left state Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband dead and state Sen. John Hoffman and his wife in the hospital. Suspect Vance Boelter was arrested on Sunday and charged with murder after the largest manhunt in Minnesota history. Still, the tragedy was mocked by Utah GOP Senator Lee, who posted pictures of the gunman on X with the captions, 'This is what happens when Marxists don't get their way' and 'Nightmare on Waltz Street,' the latter a misspelled partisan attack on Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz. Covering the horrific case on Comedy Central's The Daily Show on Monday evening, Stewart recounted a meeting with Lee in 2019 when he campaigned for the permanent reauthorization of the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund Act. Stewart said Lee had responded callously to a cop's story about being inside one of the Twin Towers when it collapsed, reporting that Lee had just smiled and said, 'Hah, I bet you've got a lot of stories,' prompting the group to say to one another after exiting his office: 'What the f*** is wrong with that guy?' The comedian went on to compare Lee's impassioned reaction to the murder of Laken Riley in February 2024 with his mocking indifference to the assassination of Hortman. 'I truly want to know why, in his mind, one death, at the hands of an immigrant, is worth $150bn of border security, the militarization of American cities, well, just the blue cities… But I want to know why those deaths in Minnesota are worth only a night of edgelord s***posting,' Stewart said. 'No billions for mental health, no stopping illegal weapons trafficking, no nothing. We should ask him why. I bet he's got some stories to tell.' Earlier, Sen. Smith had confronted Sen. Lee in person on Capitol Hill about the insensitivity of his posts. She subsequently told CNN's Kaitlan Collins that she had told him: 'You need to take responsibility and accountability for what you are saying and doing out there in the social media world. I wanted him to hear that from me directly. 'I think that that is important, that he understands again the consequence, the impact, that his words have on people who are going through so much pain and trauma. This is not a joke. 'And he needs to understand over 7m people dialled into his message on social media. He has a powerful platform. He should not be using it to spread misinformation and to basically make a joke of the murder of public servants.' Smith said Lee did not know how to react to her and thought he was a person unaccustomed to being confronted or challenged. In another interview with streamer Brian Tyler Cohen, Smith said she had had to 'chase after him a bit' to initiate the conversation and accused Lee of pretending to be on the phone to avoid her. A member of Smith's staff also attacked Lee in an email to his top aides, obtained by Politico, in which they called his posts 'unconscionable.' 'It is important for your office to know much additional pain you've caused on an unspeakably horrific weekend,' the official wrote. 'Why would you use the awesome power of a United States Senate Office to compound people's grief? Is this how your team measures success? Using the office of US Senator to post not just one but a series of jokes about an assassination – is that a successful day of work on Team Lee? 'Did you come into the office Monday and feel proud of the work you did over the weekend?' they asked. While the offending posts, which were still up at the time of writing, appeared on Sen. Lee's personal account @BasedMikeLee, he did use his official account @SenMikeLee to condemn Saturday's atrocity. 'These hateful attacks have no place in Utah, Minnesota, or anywhere in America,' he wrote. 'Please join me in condemning this senseless violence, and praying for the victims and their families.'
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Move to unseat Mike Lee gains steam after Utah senator's tweets mock Minnesota political shootings
The movement to unseat Republican Representative Mike Lee of Utah is gaining traction as he faces backlash for his posts about the shootings of two Minnesota politicians last week. Last week, Democratic state Representative Melissa Hortman and her husband were fatally shot in their Minnesota home. State Senator John Hoffman and his wife were also shot in their home, but survived. Two days later, officials arrested and charged Vance Boelter with two counts of second-degree murder and attempted murder in connection with the shootings. After the shootings, Lee wrote on X: 'This is what happens when Marxists don't get their way.' In another post, he posted a photo of Boelter with the caption 'Nightmare on Waltz Street.' The caption appeared to be a reference to Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, a Democrat. Lee has since deleted the posts. Now, federal and state lawmakers alike are slamming Lee for sharing the posts in the wake of the deadly shooting. Utah State Senator Nate Blouin, a Democrat, told The Bulwark he's getting messages from constituents asking him to hold Lee accountable. Fellow Democratic lawmakers in Utah say they've been similarly flooded with emails from constituents who want to donate to support efforts to unseat Lee, according to The Bulwark. But Blouin told The Bulwark he doesn't think a Democrat like him could win Utah 'at a statewide level.' However, he would support rallying behind an independent challenger, he added. 'We're not going to win with a Democrat right now in Utah at a statewide level. It is not going to happen. I love the optimism, but it is not a reality,' Blouin told the outlet. 'We've got a lot of work to do on the ground level to convince people that Democrats aren't, you know, demons and eating babies trying to make everyone have an abortion.' A senior staffer for Minnesota Senator Tina Smith also wrote a scathing email to Lee, The Salt Lake Tribune reports. The staffer, who knew Hortman, said they were speaking 'through enormous grief.' 'It is important for your office to know how much additional pain you've caused on an unspeakably horrific weekend,' the email read. 'I am not sure what compelled you or your boss to say any of those things, which, in addition to being unconscionable, also may very well be untrue.' 'You exploited the murder of a lifetime public servant and her husband to post some sick burns about Democrats,' the message continued. 'Did you see this as an excellent opportunity to get likes and retweet[s]? Have you absolutely no conscience? No decency?' Smith told CNN on Monday she also confronted Lee in person. She recalled telling Lee: 'You need to take responsibility and accountability for what you are saying and doing out there in the social media world.' Gabi Finlayson, founder of a Democratic consulting firm in Utah, told The Bulwark that Lee's posts 'really broke something open in Utah.' 'There certainly is a lot more urgency,' Finlayson said. 'The idea that we truly have to get him out of office is no longer a theoretical thing or just a liberal idea. It is a moral imperative.' The Independent has contacted Lee's office for comment.
The Independent
2 hours ago
- Politics
- The Independent
Move to unseat Mike Lee gains steam after Utah senator's tweets mock Minnesota political shootings
The movement to unseat Republican Representative Mike Lee of Utah is gaining traction as he faces backlash for his posts about the shootings of two Minnesota politicians last week. Last week, Democratic state Representative Melissa Hortman and her husband were fatally shot in their Minnesota home. State Senator John Hoffman and his wife were also shot in their home, but survived. Two days later, officials arrested and charged Vance Boelter with two counts of second-degree murder and attempted murder in connection with the shootings. After the shootings, Lee wrote on X: 'This is what happens when Marxists don't get their way.' In another post, he posted a photo of Boelter with the caption 'Nightmare on Waltz Street.' The caption appeared to be a reference to Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, a Democrat. Lee has since deleted the posts. Now, federal and state lawmakers alike are slamming Lee for sharing the posts in the wake of the deadly shooting. Utah State Senator Nate Blouin, a Democrat, told The Bulwark he's getting messages from constituents asking him to hold Lee accountable. Fellow Democratic lawmakers in Utah say they've been similarly flooded with emails from constituents who want to donate to support efforts to unseat Lee, according to The Bulwark. But Blouin told The Bulwark he doesn't think a Democrat like him could win Utah 'at a statewide level.' However, he would support rallying behind an independent challenger, he added. 'We're not going to win with a Democrat right now in Utah at a statewide level. It is not going to happen. I love the optimism, but it is not a reality,' Blouin told the outlet. 'We've got a lot of work to do on the ground level to convince people that Democrats aren't, you know, demons and eating babies trying to make everyone have an abortion.' A senior staffer for Minnesota Senator Tina Smith also wrote a scathing email to Lee, The Salt Lake Tribune reports. The staffer, who knew Hortman, said they were speaking 'through enormous grief.' 'It is important for your office to know how much additional pain you've caused on an unspeakably horrific weekend,' the email read. 'I am not sure what compelled you or your boss to say any of those things, which, in addition to being unconscionable, also may very well be untrue.' 'You exploited the murder of a lifetime public servant and her husband to post some sick burns about Democrats,' the message continued. 'Did you see this as an excellent opportunity to get likes and retweet[s]? Have you absolutely no conscience? No decency?' Smith told CNN on Monday she also confronted Lee in person. She recalled telling Lee: 'You need to take responsibility and accountability for what you are saying and doing out there in the social media world.' Gabi Finlayson, founder of a Democratic consulting firm in Utah, told The Bulwark that Lee's posts 'really broke something open in Utah.' 'There certainly is a lot more urgency,' Finlayson said. 'The idea that we truly have to get him out of office is no longer a theoretical thing or just a liberal idea. It is a moral imperative.'
E&E News
5 hours ago
- Business
- E&E News
New rule-busting text circulating for Republican megabill
New language being floated for the Republicans' megabill would halt proposed federal regulations that generate financial impacts not explicitly authorized by Congress. Text obtained by POLITICO's E&E News that is currently under review by the Budget Committee would authorize the White House to review all proposed agency rules with 'a non-negligible budgetary effect.' Rules that would spend more than $100 million, and are not directly tied to a law authorizing such spending, would be cut. The text, which could be added to the budget reconciliation bill through an amendment or another procedure, is reminiscent of the 'Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny (REINS) Act,' which would give Congress final say over all major federal rules. Advertisement Energy and Natural Resources Chair Mike Lee (R-Utah) has been working on what he calls 'REINS-lite,' a version of the legislation intended to be more budgetary so it conforms with reconciliation rules.
Newsweek
7 hours ago
- Politics
- Newsweek
Republican Defends Potential Sale of Million Acres of Public Land
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Republican Senator Mike Lee has defended his push to include the potential sale of public lands in the party's budget reconciliation bill, arguing that criticism of the idea is misplaced and that the provision is necessary to address the country's housing crisis. Speaking with conservative podcast host Glenn Beck on Thursday, Lee responded to what he called "falsehoods being circulated by the Left," and said that objections to his proposal failed to grasp its parameters. "When this bill puts land in the category of eligibility for sale, it doesn't mean for sale," Lee said. "It just means there's a process by which it could be transferred." Newsweek reached out to Lee's office for comment. Why It Matters The plan, which some estimate could put hundreds of millions of acres of public land up for auction, has sparked intense backlash from environmentalist groups and other advocates for the conservation of America's wilderness. Criticism has also come from lawmakers, including from members of Lee's own party, which has already been grappling with internal divisions over other elements of President Donald Trump's "big, beautiful bill." What To Know Lee, who chairs the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, has long advocated for making public land under federal stewardship available for housing projects, introducing a bill on the issue in 2022. He announced his plans to incorporate the provision into the GOP's tax bill last week. Senator Mike Lee speaks during a Senate Judiciary Committee markup in Washington, D.C., on June 5, 2025. Senator Mike Lee speaks during a Senate Judiciary Committee markup in Washington, D.C., on June 5, 2025. Francis Chung/POLITICO via AP Images According to an updated draft released by his committee, this would direct the secretaries of Agriculture and Interior to "select for disposal" between 0.5 and 0.75 percent of land currently held by the U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management across 11 eligible states, equivalent to between two and three million acres. However, analysis by The Wilderness Society found that more than 250 million acres could be at risk, including 18.7 million acres in Lee's home state of Utah. Lee has called the map released by the group "flat out misleading." Newsweek reached out to the Wilderness Society via email for comment. A fact sheet released by Lee's committee last week said that selling off government-owned land would "increase the supply of housing and decrease housing costs for millions of American families," but the proposal has faced intense pushback from environmental groups. A letter, drafted by Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance and signed by nearly 150 similar organizations, was sent to members of the Senate this week, urging them to oppose the budget reconciliation bill if this provision remains in place. "We strongly oppose any attempts to recklessly sell public lands through legislative shortcuts like budget reconciliation, which bypass public input, environmental review, and accountability," the letter read. "Doing so threatens public access, undermines responsible land management, puts environmental values, cultural resources, and endangered species at risk along with clean drinking water for 60 million Americans and betrays the public's trust Jeff Crane, president and CEO of the Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation, told Newsweek that, "for millions of sportsmen and women, federal public lands provide unmatched access for our hunting, fishing, trapping, and recreational shooting traditions." "This network of lands that belong to all of us is a key component to what makes America unique," Crane said. Some Republicans, too, have come out in opposition. A spokesperson for Montana Representative Ryan Zinke, who helped successfully remove a similar but more limited proposal from the House version of the tax bill last month, told The New York Times that he remains "a hard no on any bill that includes the large-scale sale of public lands." What People Are Saying Utah Senator Mike Lee, Thursday on The Glenn Beck Program: "The federal government owns 640 million acres of land, nearly a third of all land in the United States. The vast majority of that land has zero recreational value. Disposing of a fraction of 1 percent of that, so that the next generation can afford a home, is a common-sense solution to a national problem." In an article for Deseret News last year, Lee wrote: "The federal government's stranglehold on the West means our communities can't fully benefit from the lands surrounding them. The inability to access these lands or collect property taxes stifles local economies and strains public services." The Wilderness Society, in a statement: "The bill directs what is likely the largest single sale of national public lands in modern history to help cut taxes for the richest people in the country. It trades ordinary Americans' access to outdoor recreation for a short-term payoff that disproportionately benefits the privileged and well-connected." Jeff Crane, president and CEO of the Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation, told Newsweek: "While we are not opposed to the sale of public lands in principle, we do not support the sale of lands through budget reconciliation as there are existing processes in place that we need to leverage to address challenges facing local communities. Without allowing time to properly identify and vet lands set for disposal, critical access for sportsmen and women may be lost." Travis Hammill, DC director for the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance, in a statement: "Senator Lee's never-ending attacks on public lands continue. His hostility stands in stark contrast with Americans' deep and abiding love of public lands. Senator Lee's plan puts Utah's redrock country in the crosshairs of unchecked development." "Utah and the West, public lands are the envy of the country – but Senator Lee is willing to sacrifice the places where people recreate, where they hunt and fish, and where they make a living – to pay for tax cuts for the ultra-wealthy," he added. "The Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance, our members, and our partners will work to defeat this Bill." What Happens Next Lee told Beck he believed there was a "very good chance" of the provision being included in the tax bill, which he said the Senate will be considering "as early as next week." The reconciliation narrowly made it through the House last month. With growing public opposition and a handful of dissenting members within the GOP, the One Big Beautiful Act is on a similarly rocky path before it can move to Trump's desk.
