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Reporter’s Notebook: The hard stuff is yet to come

I’ve lost track of how many times people have asked if I will be glad when the election is over.  Truth be told, just after the election is when the hard stuff begins. Election Day is Tuesday, but in reality, that’s just the beginning of the process. It may take days to sort out who voters have chosen as president. Control of the House is razor tight. It may boil down to a handful of races decided by a grand total of several thousand votes. So don’t for a moment think we automatically know which party will be in the majority as election officials sort all of that out. There’s a scenario where a thin margin of contested seats in the House could spring several weeks of challenges.  Moreover, Article I, Section 5 of the Constitution dictates that the House and Senate “shall be the Judge of the elections, Returns and Qualifications of its own Members.” And it’s the new House in the new Congress next year that will decide whether to seat people if there’s a dispute. WHO’S IN CHARGE: THE MUDDY HISTORY OF THE 50-50 SENATE  Of course, that’s provided the House can elect a speaker when the new Congress is constitutionally mandated to begin on Jan. 3. Don’t forget that House Republicans incinerated a total of 27 days on two separate occasions to elect former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., and current Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La. We’ll come back to that in a moment.  In the meantime, let’s run through some of the hazards that could unfold after the final ballot is cast. Let’s start with when we might learn which party controls either the House or Senate. Election Day fell on Nov. 8 for the 2022 midterms, but it wasn’t clear that Democrats held their Senate majority until late on the evening of Nov. 12, when Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev., retained her seat.  Determining House control took even longer in 2022. Remember that McCarthy touted the possibility that Republicans might marshal as many as 50 seats. Republicans won the House by a thread, but the GOP majority was not clear until Nov. 16.  ‘ILL-FATED EFFORT’: MCCONNELL WAS ‘FURIOUS’ AT RICK SCOTT’S 2022 LEADER BID, BOOK SAYS In 2020, most news organizations projected on election night that Democrats would hold the House, but it wasn’t until December that a picture emerged showing how close Democrats came to losing their majority. It took weeks to sort out multiple House contests, decided by very few votes. Control of the Senate from the 2020 midterms wasn’t even established until 2021. It took until January and a pair of runoffs in Georgia for it to be clear that Democrats tied the Senate and thus seized the majority thanks to Vice President Kamala Harris in her capacity as president of the Senate. These protracted election determinations are not a byproduct of recent polarization and controversy. Democrats captured the Senate in the 2006 midterms, but it wasn’t clear until two days after the election, once Democratic challenger Jim Webb defeated incumbent Republican Sen. George Allen in Virginia. It’s likely we’ll have clarity on the Senate sooner rather than later this year. If Republicans enjoy a big night, who won the Senate could be known on election night. That’s especially if the GOP is en route to a 53- or 54-seat majority. But if competitive Senate contests in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Montana, Michigan, Nevada, Texas and elsewhere are all tight, it may take a few days to determine which party has the majority. Regardless, the biggest order of business facing the Senate is who emerges as the new Republican leader. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., is stepping down from his leadership post in early January but remaining in the Senate. Senate Minority Whip John Thune, R-S.D., former Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn, R-Texas, and Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., are vying to succeed McConnell as the body’s top Republican. But there’s chatter that Sen. Steve Daines, R-Mont., or other candidates could emerge. The selection of Senate Republican leader could hinge on whether Harris or former President Trump wins – or, if the GOP claims the Senate or fails to capture the majority. A secret vote for GOP leader is slated for Nov. 13, and if it’s clear that Trump is headed to the White House, his influence could sway who Republican senators select as their next leader. Then there’s the House. Republicans hold a narrow, single-digit advantage in the House right now. There are more than 30 seats in battleground districts that could swing the control in one direction or the other. But when will we know? The House Republican Conference convenes its leadership election on Nov. 13, and the House Democratic Caucus also meets around that time. Regardless of if they are in the majority or minority, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., will lead his party in the new Congress. Jeffries is poised to ascend to the speakership next year if Democrats flip the House. But for the GOP, things could get messy. Which party controls the House might not be settled by the time House Republicans hold their leadership election. Republican Conference rules allow certain GOP candidates whose races have not been called to come to Washington in November and December for the freshmen orientation and vote in those leadership elections. In other words, people who might not ultimately become House members could decide who the GOP picks for leadership posts and formally nominates as the Republican candidate for speaker on the floor Jan. 3. SCHUMER, DEMS PRE-ELECTION REPORT URGES VOTERS TO BE WARY OF ‘MISINFORMATION’ ABOUT RESULTS One senior House Republican source told Fox there could be a push to delay those leadership elections if control of the House isn’t settled. This could be an issue if there’s a contingent of GOP candidates in uncalled races who could wield too much influence in the private balloting. So here’s the issue facing Johnson: If Republicans hold the House, and especially

Harris campaign dishes out six-figure donations to groups who support defunding police, reparations

FIRST ON FOX: The Harris campaign cut multiple six-figure checks last month for left-leaning groups that have been vocal about defunding the police, reparations, and are tied to radical activists who have supported notorious antisemite Louis Farrakhan. The Harris campaign gave hundreds of thousands of dollars to a handful of Black advocacy groups who are mobilizing Black voters ahead of November’s election next week, according to FEC filings released last week. Black Voters Matters Fund, which received $150,000 from the Harris campaign on Sept. 19, has repeatedly called for defunding the police and has been vocal about pushing for reparations. KAMALA HARRIS SUPPORTED ‘DEFUND THE POLICE’ IN 2020 RADIO INTERVIEW, BEFORE BIDEN CAMPAIGN SAID OTHERWISE “The answer to police violence against communities of color is not more money for police,” the group wrote in February 2023. “It’s time to defund the police and redirect those resources into building strong, healthy communities.” In 2020, the group also tweeted, “We are proud to be partner in the #DemocracyFrontlinesFund, created to leverage millions of new dollars to fund Black-led organizers fighting for free and fair elections, and working to defund prisons and police.” “There are more than 3,000 sheriffs in the US, nearly all are elected, the group said in another post. “We are working to defund sheriffs and build voter power. Reimagining the system also comes with taking action!” The group’s co-founder Latosha Brown, who has been a frequent visitor to the Biden-Harris White House, has repeatedly posted about the group’s reparations push and said in a 2021 X post that she has been working on the issue for 27 years. “We deserve to be compensated for the literal blood, sweat and tears our ancestors were forced to put into this country,” Black Voters Matters Fund posted in May. In another post last year, the group called reparations “crucial for acknowledging past injustices and moving towards a more just and equitable future.” Black Church PAC, which also received $150,000 from the Harris campaign last month, has multiple controversial religious leaders on its board and recent social media posts show it is partnering with a defund the police group to help with “Get out the vote” efforts in Georgia, Pennsylvania and North Carolina. “We’re mobilizing 100K Strong: Knock for Change, Vote for Justice volunteers across GA, PA, and NC to knock on doors and have REAL conversations with REAL voters about the REAL issues that matter most,” the Black Church PAC posted last week on social media. The post also mentioned that they were partnering with Until Freedom, which was co-founded by disgraced Women’s March leaders Tamika Mallory and Linda Sarsour. Until Freedom has repeatedly advocated for defunding and abolishing the police and sells a “defund the police” shirt on its website.  HARRIS PRAISES PRO-FARRAKHAN PASTOR WHO SAID GAY PEOPLE SHOULD FEEL ‘UNCOMFORTABLE’ IN THEIR ‘SIN‘ Mallory previously came under fire for her close ties to Farrakhan and calling him the “GOAT,” which means “greatest of all time.” Her social media profiles are also littered with social media posts showing her attending Nation of Islam events and praising Farrakhan.  “One of the reasons why I support Kamala Harris is because I know about the things she was doing while she was in the Senate,” Mallory said during a “Breakfast Club” interview a couple of months ago.  Mallory also pushed back against people who claim Harris doesn’t support reparations, saying she’s heard Harris say “over and over again” that she supports reparations. While Harris has been coy about what her reparations plan would look like while campaigning for president, she previously told The Root during her failed 2019 campaign that she believes “there has to be some form of reparations” for Black Americans.  The Black Church PAC board includes several pastors who have either called for defunding police, reparations or have praised Farrakhan, including Pastors Jamal Bryant, Frederick D. Haynes III and Michael McBride. McBride, the lead pastor of The Way Christian Center in Berkeley, California, ranted in support of defunding police in 2020, saying on a livestream that defunding the police “ain’t a slogan” and that it is a “declaration of a future that we deserve.” “We do not deserve police departments to have 40, 50, 60% of the general funds of every single black majority, brown majority city in this country while we don’t have food, while we don’t have housing, while we don’t have equitable education, but we got an expanding police budget,” McBride said. “Yes, we want these [police] departments to be shrunk,” McBride added. “Must read article by @mearest @arthurrizer if you want an inside look at policing culture,” McBride said in another post. “My takeaway: How do you redeem this? You don’t…abolish and defund the police and reconstruct a new one…” McBride has also repeatedly supported reparations, including praising a $15 trillion plan that was proposed by Jennifer Epps-Addison, a self-proclaimed “Radical Truth Teller.” Bryant, who hosted Harris at his church earlier this month, has faced backlash for repeatedly praising Farrakhan and saying he was “humbled” to be in his presence and “honored” to host him. He has also attacked gay people and previously said it was their “responsibility” to make gay people and other sinners “uncomfortable in [their] sin.”  Bryant has also been a longtime advocate for reparations. In an Instagram post last month, he called it a “monumental moment” that he and another pastor walked from Baltimore to the White House to “bring attention to the administration that black people deserve #reparations for 400 years of oppression.” “We are the only marginalized group in America that hasn’t been compensated,” he added. “We went 42 miles because we never got 40 acres! Even if it’s not on the ballot it needs to be on the agenda!” Another pastor on the board is Haynes, the senior pastor at Friendship-West Baptist Church. He tweeted a photo of himself and Farrakhan in 2017, calling him a “wonderful and great man.” In 2015, Haynes also lavished praise on Farrakhan, saying

President Biden denies referring to Trump supporters as ‘garbage’

[unable to retrieve full-text content] US President Joe Biden has denied referring to Trump supporters as ‘garbage’ during an interview.

UK’s Labour government raises taxes by 40bn pounds in first budget

Finance minister Rachel Reeves has said the tax hike will be used to fund public services and bolster public finances. British Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves has told lawmakers that taxes will rise by 40 billion British pounds ($52bn) in order to plug a hole in the public finances and provide new funding for the United Kingdom’s cash-starved public services, in a wide-ranging budget statement that could set the tone for years to come. In the Labour Party’s first budget since returning to power earlier this year after 14 years in opposition, Reeves said she was also changing the UK’s rules so the government can “invest, invest, invest” and spur economic growth. Her biggest cash commitment was an additional 25 billion pounds ($32.5bn) for the country’s National Health Service, which has seen waiting lists rise to record levels in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. “The choices that I have made today are the right choices for our country,” Reeves said at the end of her statement on Monday. “To restore stability to our public finances. To protect working people. To fix our NHS. And to rebuild Britain.” Reeves said the tax hike, which in large part comes from an increase in the tax businesses pay for employing people, is needed because of the economic “black hole” left by the previous Conservative government. Her centre-left party was elected on July 4 after promising to banish years of turmoil and scandal under Conservative governments, get Britain’s economy growing and restore frayed public services. Reeves has said she will not let public debt balloon, mindful of how former Conservative Prime Minister Liz Truss sent the bond market into a tailspin two years ago with unfunded tax cut plans. She also announced that she would raise the rate of social security contributions paid by employers by 1.2 percentage points to 15 percent from April next year, and lower the threshold at which firms start to pay it – moves which would raise an extra 25 billion pounds ($32.5bn) a year over five years’ time. Company bosses have warned that higher taxes on them, combined with planned new protections for workers and an increased minimum wage, could undermine Labour’s promises to turn Britain into the fastest-growing Group of Seven economy. Reeves announced a string of other revenue-raising moves including changes to the tax rules on capital gains and inheritances and tax paid by private equity executives and non-domiciled residents. Prime Minister Keir Starmer had warned “those with the broadest shoulders” would have to pay more tax. But Reeves ruled out making more individuals pay basic and higher income tax rates after a freeze on the threshold for payments expires in the 2028-29 tax year. She also extended a freeze on fuel duty and cut a tax on draught beer served in pubs. Adblock test (Why?)

Muscle Inc.: The New Frontier of Bodybuilding Drugs

Fitness influencers are marketing dangerous new classes of performance-enhancing drugs to their teenage followers. Performance-enhancing drugs were once a closely guarded secret in the bodybuilding world, but a new generation of fitness influencers is openly sharing their use on social media and marketing dangerous new substances known as research chemicals to their teenage followers. These new drugs have been linked to organ damage, heart failure and, in some cases, death. Their sale for human use is illegal but social media companies and the Federal Drug Administration are seemingly unable or unwilling to stop their spread. In this episode of Fault Lines, we take you inside the deadly market for research chemicals and introduce you to their suppliers, marketers, and victims. Adblock test (Why?)

Delhi Pollution: Air quality dips to ‘very poor’ on Diwali eve, AQI reaches…

The city’s 24-hour average Air Quality Index (AQI) was recorded at 307 at 4 pm, up from 268 on Tuesday.

‘That’s a lie’: Georgia’s top elections official blasts Harris for attacking state voter law

Georgia’s top elections official is accusing Vice President Kamala Harris of lying about the state’s voter security laws. “We have worked tirelessly to prepare for this election by adding early voting days and investing in infrastructure, creating more security and more voter convenience…only to be rewarded with the lies about ‘Jim Crow 2.0,’” Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger said during a press conference on Wednesday. Without naming Harris, the Republican state official took aim at her comments during a campaign speech in Michigan earlier this week. “Frustratingly, recently, a candidate repeated that lie that we will lock up people that give water to voters waiting in line to vote,” Raffensperger said. “That’s a lie, because we don’t have any lines in Georgia. It’s just cheap politics.” GEORGIA GOP CHAIR SHARES 2-PRONGED ELECTION STRATEGY AS TRUMP WORKS TO WIN BACK PEACH STATE Harris said in Ann Arbor on Monday night, “I was just in Georgia. You know they passed a law that makes it illegal to give people food and water for standing in line to vote?” “The hypocrisy abounds. Whatever happened to ‘love thy neighbor,’ right?” she added as the supportive crowd jeered. FORMER REPUBLICAN US SENATOR ENDORSES KAMALA HARRIS, SAYS ELECTION OFFERS ‘STARK CHOICE’ Fox News Digital reached out to the Harris campaign for a response to Raffensperger. The remark also got pushback from Republican Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, who mocked Harris’ short-lived 2020 presidential bid. “Sounds like Kamala Harris just can’t handle the truth,” Kemp wrote on X on Tuesday. “We made it easier to vote and harder to cheat in Georgia. As a result, more than 3 million Georgians have already voted — that’s 3 million more votes than the Vice President got in the 2024 primaries.” Georgia officials moved to implement several new voting laws after the 2020 race put the Peach State under a microscope. Among them was limiting the number of ballot drop boxes – which were not used in Georgia before 2020 – and restricting political groups from giving food and water to voters waiting in line on Election Day within a certain distance from their polling place. Georgia also installed new ID requirements for absentee ballots. Democratic organizations and civil rights groups accused Republican officials of restricting voter access with the measures. ‘ILLEGAL, UNCONSTITUTIONAL AND VOID’: GEORGIA JUDGE STRIKES DOWN NEW ELECTION RULES AFTER LEGAL FIGHTS But Raffensperger and other Republicans have pushed back on those attacks, particularly in the wake of record-setting voter turnout in Georgia since early voting got underway on Oct. 15. As of Wednesday afternoon, more than 45% of active Georgia voters have cast pre-Election Day ballots. Meanwhile, Raffensperger cautioned both candidates to accept a loss “gracefully,” comparing it to his grandson losing his recent baseball playoff game.  “As soon as they came up short, and they lost, I know that they were disappointed. But what they did, because both teams were good sportsmen, they lined up, and they did that passing of shaking each other’s hand and said, ‘Congratulations, good game,’” he said. “As a grandparent, I’m proud to see that. But just as an American, I think that’s wonderful, because I think that’s what America is – is gracefully accepting your wins, but also gracefully accepting your losses.” He vowed, “I will hold both parties accountable to you, the voters of Georgia.” Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub. 

‘Coming down’: Trump vows to dismantle billboards pushing rights for illegal immigrants if he wins

Former President Donald Trump is vowing to end the use of taxpayer funds to erect billboards in Texas offering help to the friends and family members of illegal immigrants in federal custody. “Kamala [Harris] is now running billboards near the Border advertising FREE Legal Services for Illegal Alien Criminals. When I win, the billboards are coming down, and the Migrant Gangs are going home!” Trump said on X. Fox News reported this week that the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of the Immigration Detention Ombudsman (OIDO) has set up billboards in Texas saying: “Your brother in immigration custody has rights, we’re here to help.” DHS USES TAXPAYER MONEY TO FUND TEXAS BILLBOARDS COUNTERING IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT EFFORTS The OIDO is an independent office set up to aid immigrants with complaints about potential violations of immigration detention standards. It also provides oversight of immigration detention facilities. It was established in 2019. The DHS says it was established by Congress with a “mandate to independently examine immigration detention to promote safe and humane conditions, including addressing complaints related to the conditions of noncitizens in immigration detention.” However, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Border Patrol sources tell Fox News they are furious about the ads, given the ongoing pressures on funding due to the crisis at the southern border.  CLICK HERE FOR MORE IMMIGRATION COVERAGE Despite that funding squeeze, money is being spent on signs that they see as working against them and that they have described as “insulting.” Trump is not the only politician to be infuriated by the billboards, with multiple Texas lawmakers expressing outrage to Fox News. ‘ABUSED THE LAWS:’ GOP BILL VOWS TO SHUT DOWN KEY BIDEN-ERA POLICIES BENEFITTING MIGRANTS “The news that DHS is using taxpayer money to launch billboards advocating ‘rights’ for individuals in ‘immigration custody’ should be alarming because it’s a preview of the legal arguments that radical progressive democrats will use to argue against deportation of the millions dumped in America by Biden-Harris-Mayorkas,” Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, said. “Time and again, we’ve seen DHS put an open borders agenda ahead of its mission to safeguard American families,” Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-Texas, said. “Whether it’s FEMA splurging hundreds of millions of dollars on migrant housing or OIDO running ads like this, our government is hemorrhaging money on the wrong priorities. It’s time for Congress to pull the plug on programs like these.” The controversy over the billboards comes as immigration has rocketed to the top of voters’ priorities for the 2024 election after a massive border crisis that started in 2021. The Biden administration has said it needs more funding to fix what it says is a “broken” immigration system and, along with Vice President Kamala Harris, has pushed for a bipartisan border security bill introduced earlier this year. The administration says a presidential order in June has led to a 55% drop in encounters, but critics have noted that comes after historic highs of encounters in prior years. Trump has pledged to launch a mass deportation campaign and restore Trump-era border policies like wall construction and the Remain-in-Mexico policy. Both were ended by the Biden administration.

Voter registration probes launched in crucial Keystone State counties amid claims of potential fraud

Potentially fraudulent election materials are being probed by top law enforcement and election officials in the battleground state of Pennsylvania as the 2024 contest enters its final days.  District attorneys and election officials in both Lancaster County and York County are looking into potential election-related fraud after authorities received large batches of voter registration materials from a “third-party organization.” Both York and Lancaster counties have more registered Republican voters than Democrats, according to state data, with York Republicans holding a 63% majority in the area and Lancaster Republicans at a 61% majority. The importance of the issues cropping up in Pennsylvania – which is widely viewed as one of the key battleground states that could determine a winner in the presidential race – were underscored on Tuesday, when 2024 GOP nominee and former President Donald Trump highlighted the allegations of potential fraud in a Truth Social post.  “Wow! York County, Pennsylvania, received THOUSANDS of potentially FRAUDULENT Voter Registration Forms and Mail-In Ballot Applications from a third party group. This is on top of Lancaster County being caught with 2600 Fake Ballots and Forms, all written by the same person. Really bad “stuff.” WHAT IS GOING ON IN PENNSYLVANIA??? Law Enforcement must do their job, immediately!!! WOW!!!” he posted.  TRUMP, HARRIS MAKE FINAL PITCHES TO VOTERS IN HIGH-STAKES BATTLEGROUND STATE IN FINAL DAYS OF CYCLE In Lancaster County, home to Pennsylvania’s Amish community, the district attorney and Lancaster County Board of Elections held a press conference last week announcing the investigation of potential fraudulent voter registration forms – not ballots as Trump had alleged – after receiving roughly 2,500 voter registration applications in two separate batches last week. The batches of registration applications were dropped off ahead of Pennsylvania’s registration deadline on Oct. 21.  “Staff noticed that numerous applications appeared to have the same handwriting (and) were filled out on the same day,” District Attorney Heather Adams said during a press conference. “The confirmed indicators of fraud that detectives came across were inaccuracies with the addresses listed on the applications, fake and false personal identification information, as well as false names. Also, applications that had names that did not match the provided Social Security information.” Adams said the materials sometimes included correct personal information, but when the individuals were contacted by investigators, they reported they did not request the application forms. She estimated this week that about 60% of the applications were fraudulent, News 8 reported.  County Commissioner Josh Parsons told News 8 that the alleged phony registration forms are a “threat” to the election process.  ‘PULLING AN ALVIN BRAGG’: LEFT-WING DA’S ‘FLIMSY’ SUIT AGAINST ELON MUSK’S $1M GIVEAWAY SLAMMED BY EXPERT “We know that this is a threat to our election system,” Parsons said. “This is essentially an attack on our election system when you’re trying to get registrations in that are clearly fraudulent.” He added, “If we have clearly fraudulent applications on their face, that is a problem. That is a threat to our election security. That’s what we want our staff to detect. They did. We’re glad the system worked in Lancaster County. We’re proud of them for doing that.” Concerns over fraudulent election materials are also mounting in York County, which neighbors Lancaster County across the Susquehanna River. County commissioners are currently looking into suspicious “election-related materials from a third-party organization.”  “We are committed to ensuring the integrity, safety and security of our elections. The York County Office of Elections and Voter Registration has received a large delivery containing thousands of election-related materials from a third-party organization,” York County President Commissioner Julie Wheeler said in a statement provided to local outlets this week.  ‘ADMIRES DICTATORS’: HARRIS CONTINUES COMPARING TRUMP TO HITLER DURING BATTLEGROUND STATE TOWN HALL The statement continued, “Those materials appear to include completed voter registration forms, as well as mail-in ballot applications. As with all submissions, our staff follows a process for ensuring all voter registrations and mail-in ballot requests are legal. That process is currently underway. If suspected fraud is identified, we will alert the District Attorney’s Office, which will then conduct an investigation. We will have no further comment until our internal review has been completed.” Wheeler added that an “overabundance of registrations from one particular organization” set off alarm bells for election officials, according to Fox 43.  The York County DA’s office told Fox News Digital on Wednesday that “The Office of the District Attorney has been in constant contact with the York County Commissioners and York County Board of Elections regarding any potential irregularities they are seeing and observing that may necessitate further investigation by this office.” “As we have always done, this office will investigate any matter regarding elections that require a criminal investigation and if needed, would prosecute any cases where the evidence is sufficient to support a conviction. Regarding any specific allegations or investigation, it is the policy of this office not to comment on such specific matters but only general operating procedures. Any other questions concerning the operations of elections should be referred to the County Commissioners and/or the Board of Elections,” the DA’s office continued.  ‘I’M GOING WITH TRUMP’: 3 FORMER DEMS FROM PENNSYLVANIA EXPLAIN HOW FORMER PRESIDENT WON THEM OVER Eyes are locked on Pennsylvania this election cycle, as the Northeast battleground state could help tip the election one way or the other. Pennsylvania carries 19 electoral votes and since 1992 has voted for Democratic presidential candidates – until Trump’s successful 2016 election. Trump narrowly won the state that year as he campaigned against former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. In 2020, however, Biden won the state by 1.17 percentage points​, teeing up a highly-anticipated election showdown next week between Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris. Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.

Boeing hikes soap dispenser prices by 8,000%, gouges Air Force with $1M overcharge on C-17 spare parts

Boeing overcharged the Air Force for simple spare parts on C-17 aircraft by $1 million over a four-year period, according to the Pentagon. The defense giant marked up the cost of soap dispensers by 8,000%, putting taxpayers on the hook for such items that cost 80 times more than market value.  While the cost that Boeing charged per dispenser was redacted from a new audit released this week, in total, the Air Force overpaid for the dispensers by $149,072 from 2018 to 2022, according to Pentagon Inspector General Robert Storch. “The Air Force needs to establish and implement more effective internal controls to help prevent overpaying for spare parts for the remainder of this contract, which continues through 2031,” said Storch. “Significant overpayments for spare parts may reduce the number of spare parts that Boeing can purchase on the contract, potentially reducing C-17 readiness worldwide.”  PENTAGON LACKS COUNTER-DRONE PROCEDURE LEADING TO INCURSIONS LIKE AT LANGLEY, EXPERTS SAY An anonymous tip about the exorbitant soap dispenser prices prompted the inspector general’s audit into spare parts.  Boeing has a 10-year contract with the Air Force that allows it to purchase the spare parts needed for C-17s and the Air Force reimburses Boeing for the spare parts.  The IG’s review of 46 spare parts revealed that only nine, or 20%, were purchased by the Air Force at “fair and reasonable” prices, totaling $20.3 million. The IG found that the Air Force did not pay “fair and reasonable” prices for about 26% of the spare parts reviewed, about $4.3 million worth of equipment. For another 54% of the spare parts, valued at $22 million, the IG was not able to determine whether the Air Force paid fair prices: the service branch did not maintain historical data on pricing and they were unable to obtain supplier quotes for similar products.  The IG found the Air Force failed to validate the accuracy of data in contract negotiations for spare parts, review price increases during contract execution, and review invoices to determine whether prices were “fair and reasonable” before paying them.  Boeing said in a statement it was reviewing the report but cautioned that it appeared to compare prices for the parts that met aircraft standards to “basic commercial items” that wouldn’t meet the qualifications for military aircraft. “We are reviewing the report, which appears to be based on an inapt comparison of the prices paid for parts that meet aircraft and contract specifications and designs versus basic commercial items that would not be qualified or approved for use on the C-17. We will continue to work with the OIG and the U.S. Air Force to provide a detailed written response to the report in the coming days.” An Air Force spokesperson said they would implement new controls on payments.  “The Air Force is working with the Defense Contract Management Agency to develop controls to ensure the accuracy of payments.  We are also updating contracts to include additional subcontractor information sharing.” Around 220 C-17s are in use by the Air Force, Air National Guard and the Air Force Reserve Command.  GOP SENATOR DEMANDS ANSWERS AFTER PENTAGON FINDS ARMY GAVE TAIWAN MOLDY GEAR, AMMO FROM 1983 The Air Force calls the Boeing Globemaster C-17s “the most flexible cargo aircraft” in its fleet, capable of carrying people and cargo across a variety of distances. It’s become the primary aircraft used for evacuation and humanitarian missions.  The Pentagon’s sprawling budget broke $900 billion last year, making overcharges by defense contractors a constant headache for internal watchdogs.  Earlier this month, Raytheon agreed to pay $1 billion in a settlement with the Department of Justice (DOJ) for defrauding the Defense Department and paying bribes to a government official in Qatar to acquire business in the country. The company was accused of inflating its costs by $111 million on missile systems and operation of a radar surveillance system it sold to the Pentagon. Raytheon allegedly lied about the cost of building three Patriot missile batteries, with the Army agreeing to a $619 million contract.