Behold a Trio of Criminals

From the propagandist rag The HILL:

Zelensky leaves US empty-handed

Neither Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky nor President Bidenpersuaded Congress to approve more military help for Kyiv.

Biden this week did not find willing Republican dealmakers on border security and immigration, or an accord with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahuto end what Biden now calls “indiscriminate bombing” in Gaza.

The president is under fire in the United Nations and from a growing number of voters for opposing a cease-fire in the Israel-Hamas war. His son is under investigation on Capitol Hill, House conservatives are poised as early as today to launch an impeachment inquiry, and some nervous Democrats openly wish a different presidential nominee would compete in 2024.

Bottom line: Not a great week for Biden or the allies he’s embraced. And the president is feeling the heat.

He told campaign donors Tuesday in his most publicly critical comments since Oct. 7 that “indiscriminate bombing” in Gaza and the resulting high civilian death toll in pursuit of Hamas fighters was eroding U.S. and European support for Israel.

“I think he has to change,” Biden said of Netanyahu, but the “government in Israel is making it very difficult for him to move.”

 Zelensky, standing by Biden’s side Tuesday at the White House, called for “results” from Washington, not just words of support during his whirlwind lobbying for additional U.S. funding to continue battling Russia.

“We’re going to stay at your side,” the president said during their joint news conference. He offered no reassurances that Congress will do the same. 

CNN: Russia has lost 87 percent of the active-duty troops it had before invading Ukraine, and two-thirds of its pre-invasion tanks, according to a U.S. intelligence assessment.   

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), who supports additional U.S. funding for Ukraine as soon as possible, said it’s unlikely to clear Congress before Christmas.

Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas), who wants tougher restrictions on migration before taking up the international assistance Biden has requested, predicted the effort is likely to extend into 2024.  

During immigration discussions with Senate leaders late Tuesday, the White House signaled it is open to a new border authority to expel migrants without asylum screenings, as well as a dramatic expansion of immigration detention and deportations, CBS News reported.

Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas began engaging with Senate negotiators this week.    

Sen. Roger Marshall (R-Kan.) said Republicans aren’t going to budge.   “We’ve said all along that if you want to tie securing the border to the Ukraine funding, so be it,” Marshall said, referring to the president during a Tuesday interview on NewsNation’s “The Hill.” 

“He’s the one that lumps these together, but now we have this once-in-a-generation opportunity to use Ukraine funding to leverage the border. And by golly, we’re going to do it,” the senator added. 

Democrats in the Senate are adamant they will not leave Washington this month without passing aid for Ukraine, but negotiators thus far have been at loggerheads to find a hurry-up compromise on migration and policies at the border.

The White House focus to date has been on finding a compromise in the Senate, not in the conservative House.  

Sen. Bob Menéndez (D-N.J.), in a Tuesday statement, accused the administration of ignoring immigrant communities. 

“It is truly shameful that President Biden and his administration are considering selling out migrants and asylum seekers in order to placate extreme Republicans who are jeopardizing our national security and that of our allies just to score a political point,” he wrote.  

The goal of comprehensive immigration reform has eluded Washington since 1986.