Free Republic

Conservative Kentucky Senator Rand Paul has long opposed Nato enlargement and suggested that the Russian invasion of Ukraine was justified.An outspoken Republican senator is set to delay American approval of Finland's Nato application, which must be approved by all 30 Nato member countries. Sen. Rand Paul from Kentucky has called for the United States to ignore Nato's Article 5, which automatically guarantees US aid to another member country that is under attack. He argues that any such action must require congressional approval. Paul is pushing for the Senate to vote on an amendment to that effect – which has little...

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell Wednesday blasted the Obama administration for reducing the debate on the Iran nuclear deal to "a partisan contest" that "raises even more serious questions about its durability and merits." "While the president may be able to sustain a veto with the tepid, restricted and partisan support of one third of one House of Congress over Americans' bipartisan opposition, it will require a bipartisan Congress to strengthen our defenses in the Persian Gulf and to stand up to the inevitable Iranian violations of the agreement that will need to be addressed after he has left office,"...

DALLAS — Sen. Rand Paul on Friday met with George P. Bush, a rising star in Texas GOP politics, to discuss how to broaden the Republican Party’s appeal in diverse communities. “Really I wanted to get advice from him, as much as anything, about how the party grows in Texas and states with large Hispanic populations,” Paul (R-Ky.) told POLITICO backstage after stumping for a state senate candidate here. Bush recommended “showing up” in those communities, Paul said. The senator, who has said he is seriously considering a 2016 presidential bid, often talks about the importance of growing the Republican...

SNIP Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky and Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski both issued statements Friday afternoon indicating their opposition to Kagan's nomination. The announcements come hours after Utah Sen. Orrin Hatch indicated he would oppose Kagan's nomination. McConnell said Kagan was "far from forthcoming in discussing her own views on basic principles of American constitutional law" during this week's confirmation hearings. "I do not have confidence that if she were confirmed to a lifetime position on the Supreme Court she would suddenly constrain the ardent political advocacy that has marked much of her adult life," McConnell said. "The...