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House Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s announcement of an impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden over his connections to his son Hunter Biden’s foreign business dealings is provoking some predictably polarized reactions. Most liberal commenters and Democratic elected officials have largely dismissed the effort as a hypocritical, evidence-free witch hunt, while ardent conservatives are cheering the effort to finally hold the Biden Crime Family accountable.

“Launching this illegitimate inquiry is a distraction,” said House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (DN.Y.) yesterday. “Instead of focusing on doing the business of the American people, Extreme MAGA Republicans are doing the bidding of their puppet master in chief, Donald Trump.” House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries addresses Kevin McCarthy's impeachment inquiry:

"Extreme MAGA Republicans are doing the bidding of their puppet master in chief, Donald Trump. When Donald Trump says jump, the extreme MAGA Republicans say how high." pic.twitter.com/P1ZzDT8AJG

— MSNBC (@MSNBC) September 12, 2023

It’s “based on the weakness of Kevin McCarthy’s speakership, the fact that he doesn’t have the moral authority with his members, doesn’t have control over his caucus, and is beholden to the most extreme elements who want an impeachment of Joe Biden, an impeachment without evidence,” Rep. Adam Schiff (DCalif.) told CNN’s Wolf Blitzer yesterday. Kevin McCarthy’s announcement of a bogus impeachment inquiry into President Biden is based on two things: McCarthy’s weakness as speaker, and his willingness to do Trump’s bidding.

It’s certainly not based on evidence or facts. pic.twitter.com/Ey4qnyIetY

— Adam Schiff (@RepAdamSchiff) September 13, 2023

House Republicans meanwhile are arguing there’s ample cause to proceed with an impeachment inquiry.

“Bank records, suspicious activity reports, emails, texts, and witness testimony reveal Joe Biden allowed his family to sell him as ‘the brand’ around the world to enrich the Bidens,” said Reps. James Comer (RKy.), Jim Jordan (ROhio), and Jason Smith (RMo.) who have been leading the House’s investigation into the Biden’s foreign business dealings, in a joint statement. ????IMPEACHMENT INQUIRY????@HouseGOP has uncovered anoverwhelmingamount ofevidence showing @POTUS lied to the American people about his knowledge & participation in his family’s influence peddling schemes.

I fully support @SpeakerMcCarthy opening an impeachment inquiry.???? pic.twitter.com/feFLOMU6HN

— Rep. James Comer (@RepJamesComer) September 12, 2023

Most Republican presidential candidates, including former President Donald Trump and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, had given their support to a formal impeachment inquiry before McCarthy’s announcement. Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christe said an investigation into Biden’s alleged corruption is warranted, but a full impeachment inquiry is premature.

Some journalists and liberal commenters have criticized Republicans’ procedural hypocrisy. In 2019, Republicans criticized then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (DCalif.) for opening an impeachment inquiry without a full vote of the House. Now, McCarthy is doing the same thing in 2023. In 2019, Kevin McCarthy blasted Nancy Pelosi and Democrats for opening an impeachment inquiry into President Trump without a full House vote, asking her to suspend the probe.

Now, he is opening an impeachment probe into President Biden without a House vote. pic.twitter.com/GWxzwHHMBH

— Stephen Neukam (@stephen_neukam) September 12, 2023

The conservative pushback is that it’s all part of the reaping/sowing process. Here's the pattern:

-Democrats make unprecedented rule change
-Republicans warn of consequences if Democrats lose
-Democrats lose
-Republicans operate under new rule
-Democrats complain
-Media dutifully screams hypocrisy

See: filibuster, committee ousters, and now impeachment https://t.co/tyAV4yRwMh

— Ben Domenech (@bdomenech) September 12, 2023

Some conservative writers are landing between “impeachment now” and “politicized witchhunt” when assessing McCarthy’s impeachment inquiry.

“In announcing the move, McCarthy noted that to date, ‘House Republicans have uncovered serious, credible, allegations into President Biden’s conduct.’ This is true, and a tribute to the GOP investigation, but all of it has happened through a vigorous oversight process that has operated outside of impeachment,” reads a National Revieweditorial from yesterday. “The speaker argues that having an open impeachment inquiry will provide more power to investigators to get more answers, but it also creates more pressure to produce a smoking gun and, potentially, to proceed further down the impeachment track regardless.”

Republican senators have expressed similar concern that the impeachment inquiry is premature, reportsThe Hill. It won’t remove Biden but will plausibly derail negotiations over a spending resolution that must pass by the end of the month to avoid a federal government shutdown.

The Libertarian Party, meanwhile, has thrown its support behind the Republicans’ impeachment inquiry while insisting the best remedy is to place Biden under conservatorship. The Libertarian Party is in full support of Speaker McCarthy's impeachment inquiry into President Biden, based on the allegations of corruption. But it shouldn't stop there, and his lack of effort in calling for an actual vote to give it legal pertinence means it will accomplish…

— Libertarian Party (@LPNational) September 12, 2023

FREE MINDS

A federal appeals court has ruled that a Catholic group doesn’t need special permission from zoning officials in Michigan to install a Stations of the Cross prayer trail on private property. ReportsCBS: The court ruled 3-0 in favor of the group and issued an injunction Monday, saying Genoa Township in Livingston County was likely violating the rights of Missouri-based Catholic Healthcare International, which controls the 40-acre wooded parcel.

The township had said a special-use permit was needed because the project was the equivalent of a church building. The religious group objected but ultimately responded with a plan for a chapel and trail after spending thousands of dollars on the application. It was rejected.

Catholic Healthcare obtained the land from the Lansing Catholic Diocese to create a trail with the Stations of the Cross, 14 stops that commemorate the suffering and death of Jesus.

Stations of the Cross stayed up until the township in 2021 persuaded a state judge to order removal. Catholic Healthcare, meanwhile, filed a lawsuit in federal court, invoking a law that protects religious groups in zoning matters. FREE MARKETS

Inflation continues to make Americans poorer.The latest numbers from the U.S. Census Bureau found that cost of living increases have surpassed rising incomes for the third year in a row, reports The Wall Street Journal:

Americans’ inflation-adjusted median household income fell to $74,580 in 2022, declining2.3%from the 2021 estimateof $76,330, the Census Bureau said Tuesday.The amount has dropped 4.7% since its peak in 2019.

Nevertheless, things could be looking a little brighter for workers by the end of 2023: This year could be different. Earnings and inflation trendshave improvedas a strong labor market and cooling price increases boosted household purchasing power, saidBill Adams, chief economist at Comerica Bank.

“Shifting into the present and into the future, the prospects are better for wages to make up for some of the ground lost during the last couple of years,” Adams said. QUICK HITS Markets in everything? The Wagner Group, the Russian mercenary organization, has been trying to win hearts and minds in Africa with its own brand of beer. In non-impeachment Congressional news, House Republicans are pushing a defense spending bill to end the military’s COVID-19 vaccine mandates and stop the transfer of cluster bombs to Ukraine. Just finished Rules Committee tonight. On defense appropriations bill we will have votes on amendments to

Prohibit COVID militay vax mandate

Prohibit military mask mandate

Prohibit xfer of cluster munitions

Prohibit US troop deployment to Ukraine

and 180 other amendments.

— Thomas Massie (@RepThomasMassie) September 13, 2023

Transportation modes, both old and new, did no favors to a San Francisco man who was struck by a public bus. The ambulance that took him to the hospital reportedly got stuck behind two stopped driverless cars. Senate Democrats are holding a closed-door forum today with tech billionaires Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg, Bill Gates, and Sundar Pichai about the promise and perils of artificial intelligence. Surely, they won’t use the opportunity to push protectionist regulations. Speaking of protectionist regulations: California lawmakers are considering limiting the use of artificial intelligence to replace actors. Yet another public official overseeing construction activity is being charged as part of a corruption investigation. Former New York City Buildings commissioner Eric Ulrich is supposed to surrender to local law enforcement this morning, reports Politico. It’s not an accident that this keeps happening.

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Lectric Ebikes may be launching a new XP 4 this week, and it could change everything

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Lectric Ebikes may be launching a new XP 4 this week, and it could change everything

Lectric Ebikes appears to be preparing for a major new product launch, teasing what looks like the next evolution of its wildly popular folding fat tire electric bike. Based on the clues, it looks like a new Lectric XP 4 could be inbound.

In a social media post released over the weekend, the company shared a minimalist graphic reading “XP4” along with the message “Tune in 5.6.2025 9:30AM PT.” That date – this Tuesday – suggests we’re just hours away from the big reveal of the Lectric XP 4.

If true, this would mark the next generation of the most successful electric bike in the U.S. market. The current model, the Lectric XP 3.0, has become an icon of accessible, budget-friendly electric mobility. Starting at just $999, the XP 3.0 offers a foldable frame, fat tires, a 500W motor, a rear rack, lights, and hydraulic brakes – all packed into a highly shippable design that arrives fully assembled. It’s the kind of package that has helped Lectric claim the title of best-selling e-bike brand in the U.S. for several years in a row.

With the XP 3.0 still going strong, the teaser raises plenty of questions. Will the XP 4.0 be a modest update or a major leap forward? Could we see new features like torque-sensing pedal assist, a location tracking option, or upgraded performance? Or is Lectric preparing a more comfort-oriented variant, maybe even with upgraded suspension or even more accessories included standard?

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The teaser image, which features stylized stripes in grey, blue, and black, may hold some clues. One theory is that the colors represent new trim options or component upgrades. Another possibility is that Lectric is preparing multiple variants of the XP 4.0 – perhaps targeting commuters, adventurers, and off-road riders with purpose-built versions. We took the liberty of a bit of rampant speculation late last year, so perhaps that’s now worth a revisit.

At the same time though, Lectric’s penchant for launching new models at unbelievably affordable prices has never run up against such strong pricing headwinds as those posed by uncertainty in the current US-global trade war fueled by rapidly changing tariffs for imported goods.

lectric xp 3.0 hydraulic
Previous versions of the Lectric XP e-bike line have seen sky-high sales

Whatever the case, Lectric’s knack for surprising the industry with high-value, customer-focused e-bikes means expectations will be high. The brand has built a loyal following by delivering reliable performance at a price point that few can match, and any major update to the XP lineup is likely to ripple across the market.

As a young and energetic e-bike company, Lectric is also known for throwing impressive parties around the launch of new models. It looks like I may need to hop on a red-eye to Phoenix so I can see for myself – and so I can bring you all along, of course.

Be sure to tune in Tuesday at 9:30AM PT to see what Lectric has in store – and you can bet we’ll have all the details and first impressions as soon as they drop.

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Industry calls for urgent crypto law reforms after Australian election

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Industry calls for urgent crypto law reforms after Australian election

Industry calls for urgent crypto law reforms after Australian election

The Australian crypto industry has called on the newly reelected Labor government to urgently make digital asset legislation a top priority to ensure Australia doesn’t fall further behind global markets.

The incumbent Australian Labor Party was returned in a landslide on May 3, picking up 54.9% of the two-party-preferred vote, against the Liberal and National Parties on 45.1%. Both parties went to the election promising crypto law reform, but only the opposition pledged to deliver draft legislation within 100 days.

Joy Lam, Binance’s head of global regulatory and APAC legal, said the exchange has been consulting with Treasury officials since late 2023 about its proposed legislation, and it was now time for action.

“Timing is really quite critical now because obviously it’s something that has been discussed and kicked around for quite a few years,” she told Cointelegraph.

Coinbase managing director for APAC John O’Loghlen said the reelected Albanese Government has the “opportunity and the responsibility to move quickly on this issue” and called for a Crypto-Asset Taskforce to be established within its first 100 days “with the aim of bringing forward legislation that protects consumers, promotes innovation, and stops the exodus of talent and capital to other markets.”

Cryptocurrencies, Australia, Bitcoin Regulation
Reelected Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. Source: Anthony Albanese

BTC Markets CEO Caroline Bowler said that “beyond the political implications, this result sets the stage for meaningful progress in Australia’s approach to digital asset regulation.”

Lam noted that the UK released its draft regulations last week, stablecoin bills are moving forward in the US, and the EU has already implemented its MiCA legislation.

“So there’s a very clear shift. Everyone’s moving towards providing the regulatory framework that is needed for the industry to develop in a sustainable way. So time is really of the essence now.”

Draft crypto legislation within months

Treasurer Jim Chalmers’ office told Cointelegraph that exposure draft legislation would be released sometime this year for consultation, and any legislated reforms would be “phased in over time to minimize disruptions to existing businesses.”

Although the Treasury has draft legislation on “regulating digital asset platforms” and “payments system modernization” scheduled for release by the end of June, Lam isn’t confident. “I don’t know whether this quarter specifically is still sort of the timeline,” she said.

Related: Australian election will bring pro-crypto laws either way

While the ALP has been attacked by some over not taking any action in its first term in government, that may actually have resulted in a better outcome than legislation that took its cues from the approach of Joe Biden’s administration, which took a hard line on banks dealing with cryptocurrency and viewed most coins as securities. 

Industry figures report a noticeable evolution in the government’s approach to crypto between when proposals were first put out for consultation at the end of 2023 and when the Treasury released its much more positive “Statement on Developing an innovative Australian digital asset industry” in March this year.

Cryptocurrencies, Australia, Bitcoin Regulation
Australia Votes running tally on the Australian election. Source: ABC

The statement sets out key priorities, such as using the existing Australian Financial Services License (AFSL) regime to underpin the regulation of Digital Asset Platforms and payment stablecoins. It’s focused on the safe custody of client assets by centralized providers and sidesteps issues around decentralized finance platforms

Lam welcomed the use of the AFSL regime. “Obviously, we don’t need to reinvent the wheel,” she said. “It’s something that people know and understand. It’s a pretty sensible move, and it’s also going to be much easier for regulators.”

Tokenization and sandbox

The government will also review the Enhanced Regulatory Sandbox, which aims to provide space for innovative digital asset startups to grow free of red tape. The statement also highlights opportunities with tokenization.

Lam said the change in emphasis showed the government has been listening to the industry. 

“It reflects the industry feedback that they would have received in 2023 as a result of the consultation, as well as the changing landscape because obviously it’s been evolving pretty quickly internationally,” Lam said.

“They do have the benefit now of looking at what has worked and hasn’t worked in other jurisdictions, and really building on those lessons.”

Dea Markovy, policy director at Fireblocks, told Cointelegraph that “a lot of the groundwork and research is done” and it was looking broadly positive.

“Of course, a lot of details are still to come around Australia’s Digital Asset Platforms (DAPs) regime. What is significant here is the willingness of the Government to cut through the complexity and uncertainty on crypto intermediaries licensing.” 

The securities regulator ASIC released its own crypto regulations proposals (INFO 225) in December, and feedback from those consultations will help inform the government’s new legislation. 

“In essence, it details how different token issuances and crypto intermediation will fit into Australia’s existing securities legislation, providing for a transition period,” explained Markovy.

The draft guidance suggests NFTs, in-game assets and memecoins are not financial products — the local equivalent of a “security” — while a yield-bearing stablecoin or a gold-backed token probably are.

The Treasury statement also highlighted issues with debanking. Lam said that simply regulating the industry would go a long way toward solving the issue.

“What we really want from governments and regulators is that clean licensing framework, because that goes a long way to mitigating the risk and giving the banks the comfort that they need,” she said. “And then, there’s probably going to need to be some additional guidance given to banks.”

Magazine: ZK-proofs are bringing smart contracts to Bitcoin — BitcoinOS and Starknet

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At least 15 injured in ‘US-British’ strike on Yemeni capital, according to Houthi group

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At least 15 injured in 'US-British' strike on Yemeni capital, according to Houthi group

Yemen’s Houthi rebel group has said 15 people have been injured in “US-British” airstrikes in and around the capital Sanaa.

Most of those hurt were from the Shuub district, near the centre of the city, a statement from the health ministry said.

Another person was injured on the main airport road, the statement added.

It comes after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to retaliate against the Houthis and their Iranian “masters” following a missile attack by the group on Israel’s main international airport on Sunday morning.

It remains unclear whether the UK took part in the latest strikes and any role it may have played.

On 29 April, UK forces, the British government said, took part in a joint strike on “a Houthi military target in Yemen”.

“Careful intelligence analysis identified a cluster of buildings, used by the Houthis to manufacture drones of the type used to attack ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, located some fifteen miles south of Sanaa,” the British Ministry of Defence said in a previous statement.

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On Sunday, the militant group fired a missile at the Ben Gurion Airport, sparking panic among passengers in the terminal building.

The missile impact left a plume of smoke and briefly caused flights to be halted.

Four people were said to be injured, according to the country’s paramedic service.

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