Latest news with #Tester
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
"People saw the money being spent": Jasmine Crockett says wealthy elites bought the Trump presidency
When asked to describe how government corruption impacts everyday Americans, Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, had one answer: look no further than the re-election of President Donald Trump. The congresswoman pointed to tech billionaire and former Department of Government Efficiency head Elon Musk pouring over $250 million into the president's 2024 campaign and reaping the benefits — in power and new government contracts — when Trump took office. Meanwhile, she argued, Trump and the nation's Republican-controlled Congress intend to cut billions of dollars from social services like Medicaid, Social Security and SNAP with no regard for the Americans it will hurt. 'People saw the money being spent on the election, but I don't think that they connected the dots until now,' Crockett said. 'And I don't think that there's ever been a clearer picture.' Crockett described the harmful connection between big money and politics alongside former Sen. Jon Tester, the three-term Montana Democrat unseated in the November election, during a virtual town hall hosted Tuesday by Democratic political action committee End Citizens United. The organization, which held the event to celebrate its 10th anniversary, supports candidates who champion campaign finance reform; it strives to overturn Citizens United, a 2010 Supreme Court decision that loosened restrictions on the amount of independent expenditure groups could contribute to candidates during elections. Throughout the event, Crockett and Tester drew connections between what they described as their Republican colleagues' self-dealing, the political contributions that put them in office and the toll those actions ultimately have on Americans. Tester focused particularly on the House's passage last month of the 'One Big Beautiful Bill,' which would slash hundreds of billions of dollars in funding for Medicaid, SNAP and other social programs if enacted. 'Are they taking up issues that really help regular folks, like making health care more affordable, or housing more affordable, or education more affordable?' Tester said. 'No, they're taking up issues that really grease the pockets of the uber-rich in this country at the expense of the folks who need these programs the most.' The former senator also criticized Musk, who has since blasted the spending bill, over his role in leading Trump's effort to curtail federal bureaucracy and eliminate excess government spending. 'As Elon Musk was running around trashing the government — cutting this, cutting that, cutting this — did he cut the $38 billion that he received from the federal government? Hell no, he didn't,' Tester added. 'And the truth … is that's the kind of stuff that's going on right now. You rip apart programs that have been around for generations. Why? To give the folks who paid for these campaigns big tax breaks.' Crockett rejected the notion that all politicians are corrupt regardless of party, arguing that Democrats' actions 'have not come anywhere near' the 'blatant lawlessness coming directly' from their Republican colleagues. But, she said, the distrust in politicians comes down to the amount of information the public takes in about the candidates they elect. 'A lot of times we can't break through the noise if you have so much money that is pouring in, and it's literally sending out misinformation and disinformation,' Crockett said, pointing to Musk and other megadonors' money going to ads spreading false claims about former Vice President Kamala Harris' proposed policy during her brief presidential bid. That political noise is also why the Citizens United decision matters, she added. The 5-4 ruling along ideological lines reversed century-old campaign finance restrictions, permitting corporations and other groups to spend money on elections without limits. The decision resulted in the emergence of wealthy megadonors and special interest groups increasingly exerting more influence over election outcomes — and the politicians they back — than before, according to the Brennan Center for Justice.'It is about breaking through the noise,' Crockett said, calling on her Democratic colleagues to scream the criticisms they have of Republicans from the rooftops. 'It is very difficult to break through the noise if the noise is singularly focused on, say, making sure that Elon Musk can still make $8 million a day while that hungry child or that hungry mother can't access $6 a day to eat. That is the difference. That is the stark difference in who it is that we are fighting for.' Crockett also left attendees with a call to action, asking that they remain 'tuned in' to local elections every year in the face of voter suppression bills and special-interest spending at the federal level. She also urged viewers to 'harness their influence' within their communities to engage everyone politically. The power belongs to the people, she said. 'They want you to feel helpless, they want you to feel hopeless, and if you feel that way, then you literally are playing into their hand,' Crockett said. 'The scariest thing about the people is literally your power."
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Tester, Weintraub join Democratic organization to counter corruption
Former Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont) and ex-Federal Election Commission (FEC) Chair Ellen Weintraub are officially joining the Democratic nonprofit group End Citizens United on Tuesday to help fight corruption and get big money out of politics, The Hill has learned. Both Tester and Weintraub will work at End Citizens United, a group that advocates for campaign finance reform, as senior fellows. The pair will be doing press interviews, writing op-eds, helping advise on legislation and participating in town halls and other public events across the country. 'We know that they're both going to use their unique set of experiences to help educate Americans on the unprecedented levels of corruption that we're seeing today, each of them brings a little bit different experience,' End Citizens United President Tiffany Muller said in an interview with The Hill. Tester, a three-term senator who lost his reelection bid to businessman and former Navy SEAL Tim Sheehy (R) in November, formally joined MSNBC in May as a political analyst. Last week, the former senator also joined Unite the Country, a Democrat-aligned super PAC, where he will work as a senior adviser. The outside group spent nearly $3.6 million in supporting Democratic presidential nominees, initially former President Biden and later ex-Vice President Kamala Harris, during the 2024 election cycle, according to FEC records. 'If we want a government that listens to working people — not just billionaires and corporate CEOs — we have to crack down on corruption and the role of big money in our elections. I've seen firsthand just how corrupting Citizens United has been on our government,' Tester said in a statement. 'Too many politicians are focused on raising money and keeping their biggest donors happy instead of addressing the struggles of regular folks.' In early 2010, the Supreme Court struck down the independent expenditure blockade for unions and corporations. The amount of money in politics has exploded since, especially as other court rulings have also eased campaign finance regulations. The spending by super PACs to influence elections has been on the upward trajectory, along with expenditures from so-called dark money groups, commonly nonprofits that are not obligated to disclose their donors. Dark money groups, including nonprofits and shell corporations, spent more than $1.9 billion during the 2024 election cycle, according to an analysis by the Brennan Center for Justice that was published in early May. Weintraub, who was terminated by President Trump from the FEC in early February, said she will 'fight' for reforms that restore the 'laws and institutions designed to protect our democracy from corruption.' Weintraub was initially appointed to serve on the FEC's six-person commission by former President George W. Bush in 2002. Her term expired after five years, but no successor was appointed, which permitted her to continue being the 'acting' commissioner. She was the chair of the independent agency four times during her 23-year stint. 'I spent more than 20 years at the FEC fighting to enforce campaign finance laws and to protect our elections from corruption,' Weintraub stated. 'Supreme Court decisions like Citizens United unleashed unlimited money into our elections, supercharging the influence of billionaire donors.' The fellows have already done a handful of events around the country where they advocated for campaign-finance reforms. Tester and Muller held a roundtable discussion with Rep. Jason Crow (D-Colo) in Aurora, Colo., on May 28, focusing on dark money. Later that day, Tester held a town hall with Sen. Michael Bennet (D-Colo.). The event, at times, was disrupted by demonstrators protesting Israel's war in Gaza. Weintraub participated in a town hall with Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold (D) on May 17. 'I think that this is all about building as many platforms as possible to get the messaging out about the corruption and chaos being caused by the Trump administration, the very real cost it is having on Americans' day-to-day lives, and how we all have to join together to fight back against it,' Muller said. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Hill
4 days ago
- Business
- The Hill
Tester, Weintraub join Democratic organization to counter corruption
Former Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont) and ex-Federal Election Commission (FEC) Chair Ellen Weintraub are officially joining the Democratic nonprofit group End Citizens United on Tuesday to help fight corruption and get big money out of politics, The Hill has learned. Both Tester and Weintraub will work at End Citizens United, a group that advocates for campaign finance reform, as senior fellows. The pair will be doing press interviews, writing op-eds, helping advise on legislation and participating in town halls and other public events across the country. 'We know that they're both going to use their unique set of experiences to help educate Americans on the unprecedented levels of corruption that we're seeing today, each of them brings a little bit different experience,' End Citizens United President Tiffany Muller said in an interview with The Hill. Tester, a three-term senator who lost his reelection bid to businessman and former Navy SEAL Tim Sheehy (R) in November, formally joined MSNBC in May as a political analyst. Last week, the former senator also joined Unite the Country, a Democrat-aligned super PAC, where he will work as a senior adviser. The outside group spent nearly $3.6 million in supporting Democratic presidential nominees, initially former President Biden and later ex-Vice President Kamala Harris, during the 2024 election cycle, according to FEC records. 'If we want a government that listens to working people — not just billionaires and corporate CEOs — we have to crack down on corruption and the role of big money in our elections. I've seen firsthand just how corrupting Citizens United has been on our government,' Tester said in a statement. 'Too many politicians are focused on raising money and keeping their biggest donors happy instead of addressing the struggles of regular folks.' In early 2010, the Supreme Court struck down the independent expenditure blockade for unions and corporations. The amount of money in politics has exploded since, especially as other court rulings have also eased campaign finance regulations. The spending by super PACs to influence elections has been on the upward trajectory, along with expenditures from so-called dark money groups, commonly nonprofits that are not obligated to disclose their donors. Dark money groups, including nonprofits and shell corporations, spent more than $1.9 billion during the 2024 election cycle, according to an analysis by the Brennan Center for Justice that was published in early May. Weintraub, who was terminated by President Trump from the FEC in early February, said she will 'fight' for reforms that restore the 'laws and institutions designed to protect our democracy from corruption.' Weintraub was initially appointed to serve on the FEC's six-person commission by former President George W. Bush in 2002. Her term expired after five years, but no successor was appointed, which permitted her to continue being the 'acting' commissioner. She was the chair of the independent agency four times during her 23-year stint. 'I spent more than 20 years at the FEC fighting to enforce campaign finance laws and to protect our elections from corruption,' Weintraub stated. 'Supreme Court decisions like Citizens United unleashed unlimited money into our elections, supercharging the influence of billionaire donors.' The fellows have already done a handful of events around the country where they advocated for campaign-finance reforms. Tester and Muller held a roundtable discussion with Rep. Jason Crow (D-Colo) in Aurora, Colo., on May 28, focusing on dark money. Later that day, Tester held a town hall with Sen. Michael Bennet (D-Colo.). The event, at times, was disrupted by demonstrators protesting Israel's war in Gaza. Weintraub participated in a town hall with Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold (D) on May 17. 'I think that this is all about building as many platforms as possible to get the messaging out about the corruption and chaos being caused by the Trump administration, the very real cost it is having on Americans' day-to-day lives, and how we all have to join together to fight back against it,' Muller said.
Fox News
08-03-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
Former Democrat Senator Jon Tester admits 'men shouldn't play in women's sports' after losing re-election
After losing re-election in 2024, Former Montana Senator Jon Tester has spoken out against trans athletes in women's sports. During an interview on HBO's Real Time With Bill Maher on Friday, Tester said he agreed with California Governor Gavin Newsom's recent comments that allowing trans athletes in women's and girls' sports is "deeply unfair." "In that statement, Gavin Newsom is 100% correct," Tester said. "We're talking about a very, very, very small amount of people who, by the way, men shouldn't be playing in women's sports. It's a bunch of crap." However, Tester also argued, like many other Democrats, that it is an overblown issue. "The truth is is that it has been blown way out of proportion," Tester said. "We're talking about that and Congress is acting on that, instead of acting on the issues that impact Americans." A recent New York Times/Ipsos survey found that the vast majority of Americans, including a majority of Democrats, don't think transgender athletes should be permitted to compete in women's sports. Of the 2,128 people who participated, 79% said that biological males who identify as women should not be allowed to participate in women's sports. Of the 1,025 people who identified as Democrats or leaning Democrat, 67% said that transgender athletes should not be allowed to compete with women. Meanwhile, a national exit poll conducted by the Concerned Women for America legislative action committee found that 70% of moderate voters saw the issue of "Donald Trump's opposition to transgender boys and men playing girls' and women's sports and of transgender boys and men using girls' and women's bathrooms" as important to them. Additionally, 6% said it was the most important issue of all, while 44% said it was "very important." Tester lost his seat to former Navy SEAL Tim Sheehy back in November, after serving three terms in Montana – a state that has consistently voted for the Republican presidential candidate for decades. Despite the fact that many Democrat lawmakers and the majority of voters have expressed opposition to trans athletes in women's sports over the last several months, figures like Tester and Newsom have still come up with other reasons not to support GOP-led legislation to address the issue. While Tester suggested that the issue does not "impact Americans," Newsom argued that legislation to address the issue doesn't account for the fact that the transgender population is "vulnerable." "So, that's easy to call out the unfairness of that," Newsom said on his podcast this week after claiming that trans inclusion is unfair. "There's also a humility and a grace . . . these poor people are more likely to commit suicide, have anxiety and depression, and the way that people talk down to vulnerable communities is an issue that I have a hard time with as well." "So, both things I can hold in my hand," the governor continued. "How can we address this issue with the kind of decency that I think, you know, is inherent in you, but not always expressed on the issue?" President Donald Trump signed an executive order to ban trans athletes in women's and girls' sports back in February, but many states, including California, have refused to comply with it. On Monday, Senate Democrats voted nearly unanimously to block the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act. The law would have helped to set a stricter precedent to keep trans athletes out of women's and girls' sports across the country, as many states have so far refused to comply with Trump's executive order to address the issue. But not a single Democratic senator voted to help pass the bill, and filibustered it from reaching Trump's desk. Follow Fox News Digital's sports coverage on X and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
Yahoo
08-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Ex-Dem senator Jon Tester links his 2024 loss to Kamala Harris' poor performance in his state
Former U.S. Senator Jon Tester, D-Mont., linked his 2024 Senate loss to ex-Vice President Kamala Harris' poor performance in the state. Tester, who lost to former Navy SEAL Tim Sheehy in that race, declared on HBO's "Real Time with Bill Maher" that the woke politics embraced by the top of the ticket are what doomed his performance in Montana. "And the top of the ticket did not perform because I don't think the top of the ticket embraced the issues that Americans were talking about," he said. "We got wrapped up in all the cancel culture crap." 13-Year-old Cancer Survivor Earns Standing Ovation As He Becomes Secret Service Agent During Trump Speech Tester had served three terms as the Democratic U.S. Senator in Montana, which has consistently voted for the Republican presidential candidate for decades. The ex-senator has taken a more moderate stance on issues during his time in the Senate, openly breaking with the Biden-Harris administration on several issues throughout the years. The Democrat also withheld an endorsement of Vice President Kamala Harris after she became the party's nominee. Read On The Fox News App Both Maher and Tester agreed on the need for the Democratic Party to abandon its far-left leanings and "court the center" as the best way to rebuild and present an alternative to the GOP under Trump. He said, "Yeah, you go to the place where the people are, and that way those disenfranchised Republicans have a place to land because they don't think the other party's crazy." Tester added, "And if they're able to do that, and you do that by talking about common sense stuff that people deal with every day." President Donald Trump Concludes Remarks After Declaring 'America's Momentum Is Back' Maher then asked Tester why a more moderate Democratic lawmaker like him couldn't win his election. Though he never named her outright, Tester told host Bill Maher that Harris' progressive stances and own loss in Montana dragged his performance in the state down. "If you want to know the truth, the top of the ticket lost by what? 30-some points? And the truth is the top of the ticket has to at least be competitive if you're gonna win in a red state or even a purple state." In 2024, Donald Trump won Montana by 20 points, 58 percent to 38 percent. Sheehy beat Tester by seven points, 52 percent to 45 percent. Fellow guest panelist Alyssa Farah Griffin agreed with Tester's point that cancel culture sunk the party in Montana, adding that "identity politics" did so as well. Reps for Harris did not immediately reply to Fox News Digital's request for article source: Ex-Dem senator Jon Tester links his 2024 loss to Kamala Harris' poor performance in his state
