Brink

21 hours ago, Brink said:

LOA Today (1/3/2024)

Guess I need to extend this into today (1/4/2024) as well

LOA Today (1/3/2024)

Both the Senate Majority Leader and Senate Minority Leader have confirmed their committee membership.

REPUBLICANS

DEMOCRATS

Therefore, the committee can now commence.

43 minutes ago, Steven Andrews said:

Let's do that.

As to the "hallucination", what did it hallucinate?  And does the system in use have any sort of man-in-the-middle protections against this, like having someone present to check identifications against this sort of thing?

Colette S. Peters, Director of the Bureau of Prisons: We aren't totally sure what exactly happened, that's still under investigation. I can say that with long standing staffing issues at the BOP, man in the middle protections can only go so far.

Q2, 2025

Ross Signs Executive Order Overhauling Environmental Review Process

President Leah Ross (R-Florida) has signed an executive order to set a unified environmental review process for major infrastructure projects. The process allows for increased control over regulatory timelines to ensure expedient and effective project completion.
This initiative stems from the 2025 Presidential Transition Project. 
The executive order also establishes a Senior Advisor for Energy and Environment Policy, dissolves the Interagency Working Group on the Social Cost of Carbon, and discontinues the use of Social Cost of Carbon analyses in federal policymaking and regulatory processes.
The Social Cost of Carbon is considered a cost estimate of the damage done by each additional ton of carbon emissions. These estimates are calculated by computer models.
The project also calls for the President and Congress to establish a “sweeping modernization of the entire permitting system across all departments and agencies that is aimed at reducing litigation risk and giving agencies the authority to establish programmatic, general, and provisional permits.” This is not included in the executive order, however, as it would likely require congressional action.
[...]

Q2, 2025

White House Eliminates Gender Policy Council

This week, President Leah Ross (R-Florida) terminated the White House Gender Policy Council and established a Special Assistant to the President for Life and Family.
The White House Gender Policy Council was formed on January 20, 2021 by President Joe Biden (D-Delaware). Per the Biden Administration, the Council worked to advance gender equity and equality across domestic and foreign policy, addressing issues such as economic security, health, gender-based violence, and education.
On the White House’s Oval Uncensored podcast, Ross told host Jean Pierre that the council was an “unnecessary expansion of government in territory it was not needed.”
“The real reason for the council was to use women as a cover to push a radical, anti-family, anti-woman, pro-trans and pro-abortion agenda from the White House,” Ross said. “I don't stand for that. I stand for women everywhere. I stand for families. I stand for life. That's what my executive order yesterday signified: a return to federal policy centered on life and family. End of story.”
Democrats, such as Senate Minority Whip Janice Kamaka (Hawaii) strongly rebuked this on NBC’s Meet the Press.
"For the President to so blatantly claim that she is stopping the ‘promotion of abortion, radical sex education & gender ideology in minors’ by dissolving the White House Gender Policy Council is simply an insult to her own voters that care about those issues, on top of the vast majority of Americans who don't want the right-wing hellscape this President salivates at the idea at,” Kamaka said.
When Pierre pushed back on the President during the podcast, asking about women who benefitted from the council, Ross responded that the council “mostly celebrated women achievements of the past, recognizing equal pay, voting rights, and others, but they have not put forward anything of substance, anything that is tangible.”
Many political analysts drew parallels to when Ross issued her women’s day proclamation. Republicans said that the day was meant to empower women and Democrats argued that Ross was creating a day out of thin air simply for political convenience. 
The National Organization for Women also strongly condemned the elimination of the council.
“Focusing solely on matters of life and family without a dedicated council for gender equity raises concerns about the commitment to addressing the unique challenges faced by women,” the organization said in a statement. “It also raises concerns that President Ross is only seeking to promote her political agenda to advance the interests of pro-life supporting men across America. We urge President Ross to reconsider this move and prioritize comprehensive policies that promote equality and inclusivity for all."
Polling on this issue shows that the public interest has been more piqued on this order than Ross’s other executive orders, thanks in part due to her Oval Uncensored podcast.
31.5% of those surveyed support the executive order, 39.5% oppose it, and 29% are unsure.
Democrats, led by progressives, tend to oppose the order. Most Republicans support, but a large contingent are in the unsure category. Independents are either in the opposed category or are unsure due to the more pressing issues in the county right now.
“There is still a segment of people who are unsure about this move, but that is simply because most of them won’t ever be interested in this issue with other more pressing issues right now,” political analyst Rosanne Huffman said. “Women’s issues and supporting women tend to be a popular stance. The optics of replacing a gender policy council with a special assistant for life and family simply are just not that great. This is especially the case as the President upped the ante by including it in her podcast and using divisive language that further angered Democrats and many independents.”
Women’s issues aren’t the top issue Americans are concerned about, so it is not clear where the win is for President Ross here.
[...]

Q2, 2025

President Signs Executive Orders Overhauling Federal Employee Policies, Drawing Criticism from Senate Progressive Caucus

Federal employee policies will once again face changes from the White House after President Leah Ross (R-Florida) signed three executive orders.
Ross set policies to streamline the process for addressing unacceptable performance and misconduct; introduce principles for grievance procedures; establish an Interagency Labor Relations Working Group to handle matters related to labor-management relations as well as outline specific procedures and objectives for collective bargaining, including the evaluation of existing CBAs, negotiation timeframes, and considerations for bargaining over procedures and appropriate arrangements; and detail the conduct expected of federal employees regarding the use of paid time, restrictions on engaging in lobbying activities during paid time, and limitations on using taxpayer-funded union time for grievances.
The executive orders I will sign here today [are] about ensuring that federal employees are held to the highest standards of integrity and performance,” Ross said in a speech about the executive orders. “It's about ensuring that the American people get the quality service they deserve from their government.”
These three executive orders are making a return from President Donald Trump (R-Florida)’s administration after originally being signed in 2018.
Senator and Chairman of the Senate Progressive Caucus Nolan Stokes (D-Maryland) criticized the executive order as an attack on government workers.
"This is a major red flag for worker's rights," Stokes said. "President Ross has sent a message that she stands in the way of workers and their right to a safe, and just working environment. The White House and the Senate GOP have made it clear where they stand on workers."
[...]

Pursuant to Rule V(2) of the Senate Standing Rules, the Senate Majority Leader has established the Senate Special Committee on Governance & Use of AI Technology.

Since the members were announced on Discord... I am asking @Tuna and @Starnes to confirm their committee rosters by posting them in the Office of the President Pro Tempore under your respective party's thread.

COMMITTEE MEMBERSHIP:

Chairwoman: Senator Sarah Milliken of Nebraska

Ranking Member: Senator Edward O'Connor of Massachusetts

Member: Senator Dylan Macmillan of Utah

Member: Senator Owen Ackerman of Nebraska

Member: Senator Daniel Hunt of Alabama

Member: Senator Nolan Stokes of Maryland

Member: Senator Camilo deSonido of Colorado

58 minutes ago, Hannah said:

Your business career included work consulting for Consumer Choice Financial. In your campaign for the Senate, NetSpend was one of your major contributors. Subsequently on the Senate Banking Committee, you tried to roll back protections on pre-paid credit cards. As Secretary of the Treasury will you continue to work to remove consumer financial protection laws whose repeal would directly benefit companies you have a personal relationship with?

David Perdue, Secretary of Treasury Designee: If said policy overreaches and actually raises prices and limits options for customers, like the policy you are referring to, it's not a consumer financial protection law. 

1 hour ago, Hannah said:

 

Are you saying you do not accept that climate change is caused by human action, and that will be your policy as Administrator?

Mayra Flores, Administrator-Designee of the Environmental Protection Agency:  I'm not a scientist. The climate has always been changing. My policy to this question is that as Administrator of the EPA I will make sure that we don't continue the endless and wasteful spending by the Biden Administration on green new deals. 

15 hours ago, Steven Andrews said:

OOC: This all played out while I was at dinner... >.<

 

IC, AG Ewing: Do we have any evidence of external instigation or assistance?

 

Also, let's pull 18 USC 930, 1111, and 1118 on everyone involved in the stabbing.  I'm not sure if 1114 would apply as well.  All of those are death penalty statutes.

11 hours ago, Macmillan said:

Ms. Fiorina,

 

Thank you for joining us today.

 

I'll start with a simple question ma'am, do you support the Right to Work and do you support restrictions on secondary strike action?

Carly Fiorina, Secretary of Labor Designee: Thank you, Senator. I firmly believe in the principles of the Right to Work. I support policies that empower workers with the freedom to decide whether or not to join a union, ensuring individual choice and fostering a more flexible and competitive job market. The reality is that some unions fail our nation. Regarding secondary strike action, I believe in considering the broader impact on businesses and the economy.

17 hours ago, Hannah said:

Ms. Fiorina,

 

As Secretary of Labor you would be, in essence, in charge of America's workforce. As a CEO you laid off tens of thousands of employees and expressed as your only regret that you had not been able to fire workers faster. You presided over a regime of outsourcing jobs, or to use your own term 'right-sourcing'. Your tenure as a job-killing CEO is virtually unrivaled in American business history. Is it your intention, as Secretary of Labor, to advise President Ross that outsourcing is 'right-sourcing' and to aid in shipping American jobs overseas?

Carly Fiorina, Secretary of Labor Designee: Some tough calls were required during my time as a CEO. i will advise President Ross to do the best she can for this country. There is a world of difference between running a country and running a company.

Quote

You have blamed pay inequity on unions. But research shows that union membership is one of the most effective remedies against pay inequity. While American women are still paid 82 cents on the dollar to American men, that gap shrinks to just 91 cents on the dollar for union members. Unions great and small have been at the forefront of the, still ongoing, battle for equal pay for equal work. What steps will you be taking as Secretary of Labor to advance pay equity -- and to what extent will the recognition that union membership is a positive in the fight for equal pay factor into your policymaking?

Carly Fiorina, Secretary of Labor Designee: Despite it already being law, the left wants to further legislate equal pay. And yet, the left also supports seniority systems, in government and unions that reward not merit, not performance, but time and grade. We know the system's pay for years worked, rather than performance. This is what is disproportionately impacting women. And these seniority systems have perverse consequences. I think the left needs to get its priorities straight on equal pay. Equal pay is already law. Unions obviously disagree with this, with their support of seniority systems over equal pay for equal work which I think is a necessity.

Quote

Thus far the actions of the Ross administration have largely been a reheated rehash of the Trump administration, and we've seen that just today in a renewed attack on federal workers' rights with three EOs that undermine protections for civil service employees. In light of that, do you anticipate further retreads of Trumpian ground: do you intend on leaving in place the 2023 Final rule of the NLRB on joint-employer status, or attempting to roll it back to the 2020 version? Will you defend the Biden overtime rule in court or revert to the Trump-era rule denying 8 million workers paid overtime?

Carly Fiorina, Secretary of Labor Designee: I can't anticipate what the President will and won't do. I am not officially Secretary of Labor yet. You would have to speak to the Administration on this topic.

Quote

Do you support attaching the Brown-Wyden provision to all future trade deals?

Carly Fiorina, Secretary of Labor Designee: What are you referring to by the Brown-Wyden provision?

Quote

If Congress passes the Protecting the Right to Organize Act, will you advise President Ross to veto it?

Carly Fiorina, Secretary of Labor Designee: I think unions need to be reigned in. Union leaders are granted excessive power by federal regulations, enabling them to compel ordinary workers to support their agenda. I won't comment on the specifics of the Protecting the Right to Organize Act, especially as it has yet to be considered by either chamber of Congress this session. 

On 12/28/2023 at 10:32 AM, Storm said:

We'll go mainstreet then.

I'll put you at Second and Main, then. APPROVED.

On 12/28/2023 at 12:23 AM, Abrams said:

 

Name: John Oliverti Domenico
Seat: Louisiana III
Party: Republican (Freedom Caucus)
Avatar: Dave Reichart
Major Caucus: Freedom Caucus

Gender: Male: 0 Points

Age: 50-65 years old: 0 Points

Date of Birth: May 17th, 1958

Place of Birth: New Orleans, Louisiana

Sexuality: Straight, divorced, with or without children: 15 Points

Race: White/Caucasian: 0 Point

Religion: Roman Catholic: 0 Points 

Educational History: Degree in Business Administration, Tulane (Class of 1982)

College Degree at Private University (non-Ivy level) or Public Ivy: 5 Points

Employment History:

Production Analyst, Exxon Corporation: 1983-1986

Tax & Operations Analyst, Exxon Corporation: 1986-1991

Staffing Director, Exxon Corporation (Baton Rouge): 1991-1995

Regional Executive, Exxon Corporation (Baton Rouge): 1995-1997

Regional Vice President, ExxonCorporation/ExxonMobil: 1997-2000

President, LLD Energy: 2000-2005

Governor of Louisiana: 2008-2012

Board of Directors, LLD Energy: 2014-2015

Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Tulane University: 2015-2016

United States Senator from Louisiana (Class III): 2017-

 

Spouse(s):

Cathleen (B. 1963 M. 1990 Div. 2009

Julia (B. 1967 M. 2014)

 

Biography:

John O. Domenico was born May 17th, 1958 to Tommasino and Francesca Domenico. The Domenicos had immigrated to the U.S. in the mid 1880s from Canicatti, Sicily after one of the family's leaders, Orazio, was killed as the result of a locla blood feud. The Domenicos would have a long and noted histor in New Orleans; a Domenico would be one of the victims of the infamous 1891 New Orleans lynching of Italians following the killing of police chief David Hennessy. Tommasino would fight for the U.S. Army in World War Two, serving honorably (receiving a Purple Heart) for his distinction in Sicily between 1943-1944, and once returning home to New Orleans after the war, would settle in what was known to be the "Little Palermo" section of the French Quarter, opening up a delicatessen and bread market.

 

John was born to a middle class family, an only child to Tommasino and Francesca. The family, and John especially, was hardworking blue collar people, the Domenico Mart becoming quickly popular in the city. john himself was a good student in school, always seekng to make his parents proud, and would receive a full ride scholarship offer to Tulane University. While there, he would continue to excel academically, and would graduate near the top of his class studying Business Administration. Always wanting to work in Energy, Domenico would be offered a position at Exxon Corporation's Baton Rouge Office. Domenico would slowly but surely make a name for himself as one of the company's younger, yet more successful employees, completely cost and efficency driven. Under his watch, the struggling Baton Rouge office would turn into the firm's more successful (not without controversy; Domenico would gain the nickname "Dynamite Domenico" for his almost over-eagerness to blow up departments by firing a great deal of employees to save costs, something that would come up often in political campaigns in the future). By 1991, Domenico was the Baton Rouge Office's more senior, prominent employees, and by 1995 would find himself running the office. A good two years of profits and cost cutting would see him promoted to Vice President, where he would receive high marks from Exxon higher ups for his firm, calm leadership, especially as Exxon was rebranding and reshaping into ExxonMobil as the new century neared. Domenico, though, ever the high-achiever, wanted more. Feeling more reserving of just a regional position, wanting a firm he could have more control of (and plus wanting a bigger paycheck) would lead a group of other disgruntled Exxon executives (Lawrence and Landhill) and in the summer of 2000, would found LLD Energy (Lawrence Landhill and Domenico). LLD would have modest successes for the first few years, buying up many failing rigs and firms not only in Louisiana but across the Gulf, and business would boom by 2003, and by 2004 Domenico would be named Businessman of the Year by the Baton Rouge Business Report.

 

But again, Domenico wanted more. In 2006, when Governor of Louisiana Kathleen Blanco would sign several regulations regarding the oil industries (and other matters related to Oil royalties), Domenico would be left fuming, and seemingly on a whim, would launch a campaign for Governor. Domenico's actions would enrage national Republicans, many of whom had wanted the young, up and coming Congressman Bobby Jindal, the Republican nominee for Governor in 2003. In Louisiana, with a long unique jungle primary system, it was clear that Domenico v. Jindal would be the main card fight in both the first and second round campaigns. Domenico, reportedly worth some $430,000,000 by January of 2007 would blast the airwaves for month after month against Jindal, and would Jindal would allege that Domenico was sending millions of dollars to Democrat ran super PACs who attacked Jindal's religion, his critiques of protestantism, his tenure leading Louisiana University and Healthcare system. Jindal would call Domenico a "Wallace-style demagogue", but it has never been proven that Domenico funded the PACs. In return Jindal would attack Domenico for his tenure at Exxon and LLD (two noticable advertisements against Domenico being the "Dynamite Domenico" Ad and ads interviewing seevral refinery workers that were laid off in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina). Nonetheless, Domenico would defeat Jindal by a rather slim margin in the Jungle Primary, and defeat him again more sizeably in the final round, and Domenico was elected the state's 55th Governor.

 

Domenico's tenure as Governor was marked by efforts (some successful, some not) to continue to clean up the state after Katrina, efforts to help boost the state's economy during the Great Recession, and state's to revamp the education system. Domenico's tenure was at times, filled with drama. Domenico would have a tendency to be willing to fire first and ask questions later. When LSU President John Lombardi failed to initiate a Domenico campaign plank to have state education funding cut by a quarter, he was fired in rather embarassign fashion (a moving truck sent to the President's office in the middle of the workday), and Domenico would attempted to have House Speaker Jim Tucker, a Republican, removed in the middle of his term. This attempt would fail; it is alleged Tucker, out of spite, would push media reports that the Governor was engaging himself in an affair with one of his more senior advisors (the Governor's marriage to Cathleen, the First Lady, had always been on the rocks. The two had been seperated since 2004, and Tucker's rumor mill would see a divorce finalized in 2009). Domenico was reported to have "one of the worst relationships with the legislature of any Governor of the past 50 years." Tired, frustrated and beat down by Hurricane Gustav efforts, Domenico would retire in 2011, letting now political ally Bobby Jindal win the Governorship in his third attempt. 

 

Domenico would retire, working in both the energy and education fields for four years, before seeking a surprise comeback bid to the Senate in 2016 when Senator David Vitter retired. Again throwing in bucketloads of cash into the race, Domenico would win election to the Senate, and re-election in 2022. Domenico would market himself as a staunch, yet low-key and hardworking support of President Trumps. 

 

Domenico has been married twice (divorced), and has no children. He resides in Jefferson Parish with his wife Julia on their large ranch.

 

Points Total: 95

Straight, divorced, with or without children: 15 Points

College Degree at Private University (non-Ivy level) or Public Ivy: 5 Points

Super-Rich (Top 1%): 5 Points (estimated net worth of roughly $435,000,000 as of January of 2023)

Business Executive: 20 points

Entrepreneur/Business Founder: 30 points

Governor: 20 points per term

 

Key Votes:

 

115th Congress 2017-2019

American Health Care Act of 2017: Yea

116th Congress 2019-2021

United States–Mexico–Canada Agreement Implementation Act: Yea

117th Congress 2021-2023

American Rescue Plan Act of 2021: Nay

Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act: Nay

Ukraine Democracy Defense Lend-Lease Act of 2022: Nay

118th Congress 2023-2025

Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023: Nay

Welcome to the game!! APPROVED. Don’t forget to add your character name into your signature! If you need help, don’t be afraid to hit one of us up and we can help you out with that!  

15 hours ago, Hannah said:

Mr. Perdue,

 

Congratulations on your nomination for arguably the most important and prestigious appointed role in the federal government. The seriousness of being in charge of the nation's finances comes with a great responsibility. During your time in Congress, you were by far the most active trader of stocks and shares of any Senator. You trade more stocks and shares than the next five Senators put together. You did so after receiving privileged closed-door briefings on the opioid epidemic, global security, and the COVID-19 pandemic. You did so while trying to pass legislation easing rules on banks and payment processors you were invested in, and directing contracts to defense contractors you were invested in. What steps will you be taking to ensure the appalling pattern of allegations of seeming self-enrichment and insider trading that dogged your Senate career will not follow you into the Treasury, where you will be privy to a huge range of proprietary information?

David Perdue, Secretary of Treasury Designate:  Thank you for your congratulations, Senator. Reviews conducted by the Department of Justice, the Securities and Exchange Commission, and the bipartisan Senate Ethics Committee independently and swiftly cleared me of any wrongdoing. I have always followed the law. I take the responsibility of being privy to proprietary information seriously.

Quote

You built your business career on outsourcing: as you yourself stated in a deposition, you spent most of your career doing that. You have defended outsourcing as the American way of doing business. At Dollar General, you presided over a toxic culture of racial and sexual harassment and discrimination in the workplace that saw thousands of employment complaints filed against the company during your four years in charge; in the previous four years, fewer than 80 had been filed. The company you ran settled seven figure sums for wage theft, racial discrimination, and pregnancy discrimination. You were responsible for thousands of job losses in North Carolina. As Secretary of the Treasury, will you be making the economy work for ordinary Americans, or will you be continuing a pattern of lining the pockets of the wealthy at the expense of workers?

David Perdue, Secretary of Treasury Designate:  I will make the economy work for ordinary Americans in consultation with the Ross Administration and its policies.

Quote

One of the most important roles of the Secretary of the Treasury is to chair CFIUS. Can you explain how you intend to manage the potential conflict of interests that would arise should CFIUS be called on to review transactions involving some of your own many business dealings? And transactions involving the Ross Group?

David Perdue, Secretary of Treasury Designate:  As you are aware, the work that the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States conducts is at least in part based on national security information which is classified. Therefore, I cannot get too deep into details on CFIUS matters. However, as I stated before: I have always followed the law. That has not and will not change upon my appointment as Secretary of Treasury. I cannot speak for the President or the Ross Group on how they would handle transactions that come before CFIUS. You would have to speak to them.

Quote

Another important role of the Secretary of the Treasury is to chair the FSOC. I have a certain amount of perverse admiration for your skepticism of climate change while living on St. Simon's Island and seeing sea levels rise more than an inch a year. The Sea Island Company is preparing for the impact of climate change, building sea walls. What protections against the impact of climate change on the US financial system will you be making, or, in light of your seeming disbelief in climate change, will you dismantle the climate review actions undertaken by Secretary Yellen?

David Perdue, Secretary of Treasury Designate:  Nobody really knows if these climate review actions have had an impact. There are sciences on both sides of the issue. I will review these actions in consultation with the Ross Administration and then determine if they have had an impact and provide value.

4 hours ago, Macmillan said:

Ms Flores,

 

Thank you for joining us today.

 

There are very few credible scientists who oppose the notion of man-made climate change or the idea that we are hurtling towards a climate crisis. In light of these concerns what steps would you take as the Secretary in charge of protecting our environment to ensure that our planet's climate is protected?

 

I reserve the balance of my time and yield for now.

Mayra Flores, Administrator-Designee of the Environmental Protection Agency:  I will be committed to working closely with the Ross Administration, taking whatever steps are directed to address environmental challenges. 

16 hours ago, Hannah said:

((OOC: If I've missed guidance and there is a limit to the number of questions or we are meant to wait and ask them one-by-one, then, just respond to whatever the appropriate number, with my apologies.))

 

Ms. Flores,

 

The new Administrator of the EPA will be responsible for implementing President Ross's Executive Order #002, particularly with respect to Section 401 of the Clean Water Act. This was of course already done in 2020, so presumably the new administration is unhappy with the Certification Rule as promulgated under the Trump White House. Can you give us an insight as to how you will implement the President's Executive Order, balancing concerns about federalism with the clear desire, in that EO and others, of the administration to expedite environmental review?

Mayra Flores, Administrator-Designee of the Environmental Protection Agency:  I appreciate the question regarding the President's Executive Order on environmental review. It is crucial to find a balanced approach that respects the principles of federalism while aligning with the administration's commitment to expedite environmental reviews. As I stated before, these environmental reviews can drag out for years and years, all without producing any environmental benefit to Americans. 

Quote

Shortly before this hearing began, the President unilaterally dissolved the Office of Domestic Climate Policy and Interagency Working Group on the Social Cost of Carbon. Can you speak to what, if any, use of carbon costing will be considered as part of your work at the Agency? Do you believe there is any place for government policy to consider the social, economic, or environmental cost of carbon? Do you believe in climate change?

Mayra Flores, Administrator-Designee of the Environmental Protection Agency:  The climate is undergoing changes, however it's essential to acknowledge that fluctuations in the Earth's climate have always been a natural and ongoing process throughout history.

OOC: This probably won't start until after the break. So much going on right now, don't wanna throw this on top of all your EOs, cabinet hearings, and more. 

9 minutes ago, Hannah said:

((OOC: If I've missed guidance and there is a limit to the number of questions or we are meant to wait and ask them one-by-one, then, just respond to whatever the appropriate number, with my apologies.))

 

Ms. Flores,

 

During your campaign for Texas's 34th Congressional district, and while serving as Chair of Hispanic Outreach for the Hidalgo County Republican Party, you paid for and ran the following advert:

 

 

Can you explain to the Committee what the hashtags "#qanon", "#q", and "#wwg1wga" mean; why you chose to include them in advertising for your own political campaign; and to what extent the themes of those hashtags reflect your views on your role as a public servant?

 

You have worked as a respiratory therapist, served less than one full term in Congress, and held the above mentioned position with the Hidalgo GOP. Can you explain what experience you have and what knowledge and familiarity with environmental policy you have that you will have recourse to in holding a role responsible for over 17,000 federal employees and dozens of sub-agencies and departments?

 

The new Administrator of the EPA will be responsible for implementing President Ross's Executive Order #002, particularly with respect to Section 401 of the Clean Water Act. This was of course already done in 2020, so presumably the new administration is unhappy with the Certification Rule as promulgated under the Trump White House. Can you give us an insight as to how you will implement the President's Executive Order, balancing concerns about federalism with the clear desire, in that EO and others, of the administration to expedite environmental review?

 

Shortly before this hearing began, the President unilaterally dissolved the Office of Domestic Climate Policy and Interagency Working Group on the Social Cost of Carbon. Can you speak to what, if any, use of carbon costing will be considered as part of your work at the Agency? Do you believe there is any place for government policy to consider the social, economic, or environmental cost of carbon? Do you believe in climate change?

 

Mr. Chairman, if I can reserve the balance of my time I do so, otherwise, I yield.

((To my knowledge, there is no limit on questions or anything of the such. So you're good! I probably won't answer all of these tonight, but I will answer any that are leftover tomorrow))

Quote

Can you explain to the Committee what the hashtags "#qanon", "#q", and "#wwg1wga" mean; why you chose to include them in advertising for your own political campaign; and to what extent the themes of those hashtags reflect your views on your role as a public servant?

Mayra Flores, Administrator-Designee of the Environmental Protection Agency:  These were hashtags that my campaign used to gain support on various social media platforms for my candidacy to be a member of the United States Congress. As I have told the San Antonio Express-News, I’ve always been against any of that QAnon stuff. I’ve never been supportive of it.

Quote

You have worked as a respiratory therapist, served less than one full term in Congress, and held the above mentioned position with the Hidalgo GOP. Can you explain what experience you have and what knowledge and familiarity with environmental policy you have that you will have recourse to in holding a role responsible for over 17,000 federal employees and dozens of sub-agencies and departments?

Mayra Flores, Administrator-Designee of the Environmental Protection Agency:  I was, as you stated a member of the United States Congress. As a member of Congress, I co-sponsored the BUILDER Act of 2021, a bill aimed at modernizing the antiquated National Environmental Policy Act. This effort was geared towards streamlining the review process for infrastructure projects, thereby enhancing efficiency, lowering project expenses, fostering economic recovery, and contributing to the rebuilding of America. Those review processes can drag out for years and years, all without producing any environmental benefit to Americans. I also co-sponsored the American Energy Independence from Russia Act. Additionally, in Congress, I signed onto a letter pushing back on the EPA issuing new regulations on atrazine. These regulations were simply an overreach by the EPA. They relied on invalid studies and questionable conclusions to make this regulation. I know this was after I left Congress, but I also condemned the Biden Administration for moving toxic wastewater from the 2023 Ohio train derailment to Texas.

Q2, 2025

Deadly Riot Erupts at Federal Correctional Institution, Florence

This week, a prison riot took place within the Federal Correctional Complex outside of Florence, Colorado. 

Specifically, the riot happened at Federal Correctional Institution, Florence, which is a medium security institution within the complex. 

The riot began at 1:30pm local time on Thursday, per the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP).

The incident concluded at 7:37pm when BOP North Central Region Director Andre Matevousian gave the all-clear. Mr. Matevousian was the highest ranking official from the BOP to be present. Both Director Colette S. Peters and Deputy Director William W. Lothrop were responsible for briefing the White House and the state's congressional delegation, at the request of the delegation. 

It has been revealed that three inmates were responsible for the beginning of the riot. Those inmates were Robert "Bulldog" Thompson, age 32; Samuel "Silent Fury" Harris, age 35; and Anthony "Swiftblade" Carter, age 25. Mr. Thompson is currently serving a sentence for aggravated assault and Mr. Carter is serving a sentence for burglary. Mr. Harris, who died in the riot, was serving a sentence for manslaughter.

There were seven inmate injuries and one inmate death, which was Mr. Harris's.

Additionally, eight BOP staff members were injured in the incident and two are dead. Jeremy Larson, aged 25, was a prison guard at the institution. His death was reportedly violent in nature. Additionally, Donald Holt, aged 39, was a member of the Disturbance Control Team sent to the institution to help end the riot. His death has been characterized as a tragic incident. There are no other details available at this time.

Around 5pm, 80% of the facility was back under the control of the BOP. It was then when staff realized that 10% of the facility was damaged beyond timely repair and that prisoners would have to go elsewhere. 

President Leah Ross (R-Florida) was consulted on this decision, and under the advice of staff, ordered that the prisoners within the 10% of the facility to be split into three groups. One group was sent to the USP Florence High facility, which is the high security institution on-site. This is not to be confused with ADX Supermax, which holds the United States's most dangerous criminals. The other two groups were sent to two private facilities managed by CoreCivic: Bent County Correctional Facility and the Crowley County Correctional Facility.

These prisoners will be held at those facilities for the next three weeks while emergency repairs are done. The Bureau of Prisons has confirmed that the emergency repairs should only last that long.

During BOP Director Colette S. Peters's press statement after the riot ended, she announced that the agency would be temporarily suspending the use of artificial intelligence (AI) within its institutions. The New York Times has learned that staff brought up concerns in the midst of the riot that AI may have failed during or before it. 

This has been the focus of most of the Congressional response to the incident so far.

Senator Aaron Sharpe (D-California) told reporters that how artificial intelligence is used in the BOP needs to be re-thought.

"I want to keep everyone in my prayers," Sharpe said. "It’s a tragedy. I think we need to rethink how we use AI. Humans should continue to stay in charge of things and not AI."

Sharpe also came out in support of Senator Adam Ross (D-Maine)'s proposal to start a Senate Special Committee on the Governance of Artificial Intelligence.

Senate Majority Leader Butch Elroy (R-West Virginia) told reporters that he would be pursuing a special committee to investigate the matter. He is expected to use Rule V(2) of the Senate Rules to start it. 

"I'm glad they got the situation under control," Elroy said. "But the bastards who did this shouldn't be returned to their prison cells. They should be booked, charged, convicted, and sent to the chair. In the meantime, we will be pursuing a special committee to investigate both the failure at Florence and better groundrules for artificial intelligence in governance. I don't want our whole damn country at the mercy of HAL."

Additionally, the White House put out statements on X that they were monitoring the riot and Senators Alexander Castillo (D-Colorado) and Camilo deSonido (I/D-Colorado) were reportedly in contact with authorities about the situation and visited the site of the riot soon afterwards.

The implications of artificial intelligence use in this incident are still unknown. Additionally, BOP has said that several other details are still unknown such as why the prisoners started the riot and the specific details of the staff deaths.

OOC NOTE:

Just now, Jack said:

 

You can.

Colette S. Peters, Director of the Federal Bureau of Prisons: Yes ma'am.

Just now, Jack said:

 

 

Thank you for the update. I’ll have my office reach out to the Senators that they can now travel. I won’t be going. I’ll just get in the way.  

 

AI is great so I hope that wasn’t the issue. I’ll be expecting a full report on that. Glad the prisoners have made it. Rotating schedules for the guards would help them get rest while working overtime. 

Colette S. Peters, Director of the Federal Bureau of Prisons: Yes, Madam President, we will. Would you like me to address reporters to let the public know the incident is over, or would you like to?

Colette S. Peters, Director of the Federal Bureau of Prisons: Madam President, we have great news. We can now inform you that control of the prison has been retaken. Unfortunately, we have lost one of the members of the Disturbance Control Team. Details are sketchy, but we have been informed it was a tragic incident. Eight other staff have been injured and are being treated at local hospitals.

All of the ringleaders have been captured. Seven other inmates, who we believe to be uninvolved in instigating this incident are being treated on site.

The prisoners have made it to USP Florence High, Bent County, and Crowley County, respectively and all of those places are secure from reports from our CoreCivic partners.

There have also been reports from staff that our artificial intelligence systems may have messed up during this riot. We are suspending the use of those systems at all facilities until a review can be conducted. It should be noted that these are unconfirmed reports and this is simply out of precaution.

1 minute ago, Jack said:

 

Nicely done. Thank you. Keep me posted. The Senators have agreed to wait. 

Robert, White House Press Secretary: Madam President, it appears Senator deSonido has informed his X followers that a transport is taking place. Hands phone to President.

https://discord.com/channels/834628728071520308/1173294335983362148/1190067889659707443

5 minutes ago, Jack said:

 

That’s fine with me. Let’s tell the press to hold off until the prisoners have been transported. 

Colette S. Peters, Director of the Federal Bureau of Prisons: The press has agreed to temporarily hold off until the prisoners have been transported. However, as you may have seen, CNN is reporting from local law enforcement sources that Highway 50 has been closed off. Lookie looes might still post on social media about these movements. We feel pretty confident the Englewood information will stay quiet until the last moment.

1 minute ago, Jack said:

 

What about KAPA Centinniel? They can land there and have a motorcade take them. 

Wan J. Kim, Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation: They would have to wait just a little bit longer, but yes that would work.