<p dir="ltr"><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5886361af10a9a99348b8b50-2400/boglejohn13casf.jpg" alt="Vanguard founder John Bogle" data-mce-source="Vanguard" data-mce-caption="Vanguard founder John Bogle." /><p class="source"><span>Vanguard</span></p><p class="caption">Vanguard founder John Bogle.</p></div><p></p></div></div></p><p><em><strong>Welcome to Finance Insider, Business Insider's summary of the top stories of the past 24 hours.</strong></em></p><p dir="ltr">US gross domestic product, or <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/us-gdp-fourth-quarter-2016-first-estimate-2017-1">GDP, whiffed in the fourth quarter</a>, increasing at an annual rate of 1.9%. Economists had estimated that the US economy grew by 2.2%.</p><p>Over on Wall Street, Vanguard founder <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/vanguards-jack-bogle-says-hedge-and-mutual-funds-are-full-of-excuses-2017-1">Jack Bogle says hedge funds and mutual funds are "throwing up a whole lot of straw men"</a> and excuses for why their funds are not outperforming their index benchmarks, despite having higher fees than index funds.</p><p>And one of the most powerful women in finance, <a href="http://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/interview-with-chief-investment-officer-bessemer-trust-rebecca-patterson-2017-1-1001700811-1001700811">Bessemer Trust's Rebecca Patterson, sat down with Business Insider</a> to talk about protectionism, China, Dow 20k, and 'Brexit on steroids.'</p><p><span> Terry Duffy, the CEO of exchange giant CME Group, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/terry-duffy-cme-group-on-china-2017-1">told Business Insider why he's cautious</a> about expanding into China. </span></p><p><span>And the EpiPen maker Mylan's CEO says she totally backs Trump on drug prices - <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/mylan-ceo-heather-bresch-on-trumps-drug-pricing-plans-2017-1">except for how he plans to lower them</a>.</span></p><p><em><strong>Here are the top Wall Street headlines from the past 24 hours</strong></em></p><p><strong><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/r-as-trump-takes-office-wells-fargo-website-to-aid-employees-vanishes-2017-1">The government website to help Wells Fargo whistle-blowers disappeared after Trump took office</a></strong> - T<span>he US Department of Labor has quietly removed a special website it created as a resource for current and former Wells Fargo employees on workplace issues.</span></p><p><strong><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/trump-tells-hannity-reagan-was-his-favorite-president-except-for-trade-2017-1">TRUMP: Reagan was the best president of my lifetime, but he was 'not great' on trade</a></strong> - In an interview with Fox News' Sean Hannity, Trump said that Reagan was his favorite president to have served in his lifetime.</p><p><strong><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/r-microsofts-market-value-tops-500-billion-again-after-17-years-2017-1">Microsoft's value tops $500 billion for the first time in 17 years</a></strong> - Both <a href="http://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/microsoft-stock-price-january-27-2017-2017-1-1001701803">Microsoft</a> and <a href="http://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/google-stock-price-january-27-2016-2017-1-1001701769">Google's parent company, Alphabet</a>, reported earnings on Friday.</p><p><span><strong><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/starbucks-crisis-of-long-lines-and-delays-in-stores-2017-1">Starbucks is facing a huge crisis, and the CEO refuses to say how he's going to solve it</a></strong> - <span>The coffee chain's stores are being inundated with </span><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/heres-how-mobile-order-and-pay-could-lift-starbucks-2016-11">mobile orders</a><span>, and that's drastically slowing down service and alienating customers.</span></span></p><p><span><span><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/umich-consumer-confidence-sentiment-january-27-2016-2017-1"><strong>Consumer confidence soars to the highest level in 12 years</strong></a> - <span>The final January reading of consumer confidence from the University of Michigan came in higher than expected.</span></span></span></p>

FINANCE INSIDER: 'Throwing up a whole lot of straw men'

<p><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;"><div class="image-container"><div class="image"><img src="http://static2.businessinsider.com/image/523a2cf6ecad04483c3f7029-1200-924/ted-cruz-12.jpg?maxX=790" border="0" alt="Ted Cruz" width="790" /><p class="source on-image">AP</p></div></div></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;">Republican divisions over the party's strategy in budget battles exploded into the public sphere Wednesday evening.</span></p>
<p>In feelings that have <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/ted-cruz-is-making-life-miserable-for-house-republicans-2013-9" target="_blank">been brewing privately for some time</a>, House Republicans let their anger out at Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas). And they accused him of surrendering on the plan to defund the Affordable Care Act (AKA: Obamacare). </p>
<p>Earlier Wednesday, Cruz made a statement that applauded House Republicans for proposing<span> a spending bill that strips funding for Obamacare, a crusade that Cruz and Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) have led over the past few months. </span></p>
<p><span>But Cruz <em>also</em> conceded that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid "has the votes" in the Senate to strip the defunding language from the continuing-resolution bill (meaning that the Senate could never pass the defunding bill).</span></p>
<p><span>And he called on House Republicans to<span> "stand firm, hold their ground, and continue to listen to the American people." In other words, he called on the House GOP to shoulder all of the burden of the defunding fight - the fight of which he has been the face.<br /></span></span></p>
<p><span>That concession, before the fight has even begun, enraged House conservatives. Rep. Sean Duffy (R-Wis.) <a href="https://www.facebook.com/RepSeanDuffy/posts/515551538513735" target="_blank">issued perhaps the most terse statement</a>.</span></p>
<p><span><span>"House Republicans have stood firm. We have voted to defund, repeal &amp; delay Obamacare dozens of times. It is time for Sens. Cruz &amp; Lee to show they can hold the line against Senate Democrats," Duffy said.</span><br /><br /><span>"Let's hope they do not surrender before the fight even begins." </span></span></p>
<p><span><span>In a Tweet, Duffy was even sharper in his language.</span></span></p>
<p><span><span><div class="image-container display-table"><div><div class="image"><img src="http://static3.businessinsider.com/image/523a2c3069bedd0a2ef5a203-771-158/screen shot 2013-09-18 at 6.41.15 pm.png" border="0" alt="Screen Shot 2013 09 18 at 6.41.15 PM" /><p class="source"><a href="https://twitter.com/RepSeanDuffy">Rep. Sean Duffy</a></p></div></div></div><br /></span></span></p>
<p>Rep. Tom Price (R-Ga.) put it a little nicer:</p>
<p><div class="image-container display-table"><div><div class="image"><img src="http://static2.businessinsider.com/image/523a2f246bb3f7da34b9aafa-517-298/screen shot 2013-09-18 at 6.53.36 pm.png" border="0" alt="Tom Price tweet" /><p class="source"><a href="https://twitter.com/RepTomPrice/status/380453667813335040">Twitter/@RepTomPrice</a></p></div></div></div></p>
<p>The blame game has begun. Both House and Senate conservatives likely realize that the gambit is hopeless, and that the Senate won't pass - and President Obama won't sign - a bill that defunds Obamacare. </p>
<p>The animosity toward Cruz has also been building for quite a <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/debt-ceiling-government-shutdown-obamacare-gop-fight-2013-9#ixzz2fHoPLcu2" target="_blank">while among House Republican leadership</a>. <a href="http://www.nationalreview.com/corner/358636/house-aide-cruz-staffer-youre-not-dealing-reality-jonathan-strong-andrew-stiles" target="_blank">According to National Review</a><span>, aide to Rep. John Culberson (R-Texas) got into a heated argument with a Cruz staffer that ended with the former saying Cruz was "not dealing in reality."</span><span><br /></span></p>
<p><span>One House GOP aide complained to Business Insider on Tuesday that the Obamacare defunders, including Cruz, don't have a plan beyond expecting Obama to sign a rollback of his signature legislative achievement in a grand, Rose Garden ceremony.</span><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;"> </span></p>
<p><span>Responding to Cruz's statement, Michael Steel, a spokesman for House Speaker John Boehner, said only, "We trust Republicans in the Senate will put up a fight worthy of the challenge that Obamacare poses."</span></p>
<p><span>The back-and-forth left some conservatives flabbergasted, like RedState editor and Fox News contributor Erick Erickson:</span></p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p>Holy cow the meltdown from House Republicans is astounding.</p>
- Erick Erickson (@EWErickson) <a href="https://twitter.com/EWErickson/statuses/380456600063836161">September 18, 2013</a></blockquote>
<script async="" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script>
<p>Brad Dayspring, a strategist for the National Republican Senatorial Committee, joked that everyone needed to calm down:</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p>Everyone needs a timeout.</p>
- Brad Dayspring (@BDayspring) <a href="https://twitter.com/BDayspring/statuses/380456447437733888">September 18, 2013</a></blockquote>
<script async="" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script>

The GOP Civil War Just Exploded Messily Into The Public

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static.uk.businessinsider.com/image/57989b3ddd0895ef528b490b-2400/colin &amp; peter standing.jpg" alt="Colin &amp; Peter Big Health" data-mce-source="Big health" /><p class="source"><span>Big health</span></p><p class="caption">Big Health cofounders Peter Hames and Colin Espie.</p></div><p></p></div></div>Big Health, a <keyword id="6354868" type="COUNTRY" weightage="60" keywordseo="UK">UK</keyword> digital health startup that's aiming to reduce worldwide consumption of pills and potions, has raised $12 million (£9.15 million) to grow its company and build new apps and products that improve people's mental health.</p><p>Founded in East London in 2010, Big Health is best known for its Sleepio app, which is designed to help people get to sleep using cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) techniques.</p><p>The company expanded to the US a year ago and Sleepio has now been deployed to over 750,000 employees at companies including LinkedIn and Comcast.</p><p>The latest funding round in Big Health was led by London-based venture capital firm Octopus Ventures, which has also invested in healthy snack startup Graze and gym chain GymBox. Other investors included Kaiser Permanente Ventures, returning investor Index Ventures, Sean Duffy (CEO of Omada Health), and JamJar Investments, the UK-based investment fund of the Innocent drinks founders. They join existing investors Esther Dyson and former Google Ventures partner Peter Read.</p><p>Peter Hames, cofounder and CEO of Big Health, said in a statement: "This new investment allows us to push on towards our goal of helping millions back to good mental health, by growing the number of companies we work with and evolving our products to help address an ever-wider range of mental health issues.</p><p>"But we'll only achieve this goal - and firmly establish a new 'digital medicine' industry - by remaining committed to evidence-based solutions that deliver real outcomes for users."</p><p>The company has published 14 academic papers of its own and claims that its products are built off the back of "trailblazing" scientific research.</p><p>Professor Colin Espie, cofounder and chief medical officer of Big Health, said in a statement: "We openly encourage independent investigators to evaluate our products and publish their findings. We believe an ethical approach to creating health solutions should be a critical value, not an inconvenience."</p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/pokemon-go-releases-update-fixes-annoying-problems-2016-7">'Pokémon Go' just released an update that fixes its most annoying problems</a></h3>        <div>            <div>    <script src="http://player.ooyala.com/v3/6e12e8b3387a44daacfb73afba25a76e"></script>    <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="NybDNwNDE6mv_K6iFX5pyXBmgtlRhHJD" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div>    <script>    if (typeof RunFunctions === 'undefined') { var RunFunctions = []; }     RunFunctions.push(function()    {         var ooyalapopvideo = OO.Player.create('ooyalaplayer_popvideo', 'NybDNwNDE6mv_K6iFX5pyXBmgtlRhHJD',{ autoplay: 'false' });     });    </script>    <noscript><div>Please enable Javascript to watch this video</div></noscript></div>        </div>        <script>(function() { function createPlayer() { OO.ready(function() { RunFunctions.forEach(function(ooyalaFunction) { ooyalaFunction(); }); RunFunctions = [];}); } createPlayer(); }()); </script>    </div>

A startup with an app that helps people get to sleep has raised &#163;9 million

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/55b2578f371d22ce178b938b-1958-1469/rtr4ilcw.jpg" alt="janet yellen federal reserve" data-mce-source=" REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque" data-mce-caption="Chair of the Federal Reserve Janet Yellen listens to remarks during an open session meeting of the Financial Stability Oversight Council in the Cash Room of the Treasury in Washington December 18, 2014." /><p class="source"><span> REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque</span></p><p class="caption">Chair of the Federal Reserve Janet Yellen listens to remarks during an open session meeting of the Financial Stability Oversight Council in the Cash Room of the Treasury in Washington December 18, 2014.</p></div><p></p></div></div>There's been a leak at the Federal Reserve.</p><p>In a <a href="http://www.federalreserve.gov/newsevents/press/monetary/20150724a.htm">statement on Friday</a>, the Fed said its in-house economic forecasts compiled by staff ahead of the June FOMC meeting were accidentally published on June 29.</p><p>And so as a result, the Fed published those documents on its website, and you can view them <a href="http://www.federalreserve.gov/newsevents/press/monetary/20150724a.htm">here</a>.</p><p>The documents include projections for the unemployment rate, inflation, and gross domestic product.</p><p>These projections are not, however, the forecast from the FOMC - the Fed committee that establishes monetary policy - or any of its members, but is more like the kind of projection that you'd get from any economist on Wall Street.</p><p>But this leak comes at a time when the Fed chair Janet Yellen is under scrutiny for <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/r-congressman-says-criminal-probe-opened-into-2012-fed-leak-bloomberg-2015-3">a bigger leak</a> that happened in 2012. In December, we learned that confidential Fed documents ahead of that meeting ended up in a private investor newsletter before they should have.</p><p>During her most recent <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/janet-yellen-humphreyhawkins-testimony-july-2015-2015-7">biannual testimony</a> before Congress, Yellen was grilled about the fact that the Fed has not yet responded to a subpoena for documents. <span>Congressman Sean Duffy said the Fed was jeopardizing the investigation, although Yellen countered that the board is fully cooperative.</span></p><p>The leak on Friday, it seems, isn't quite as big of a deal. But while questions around the Fed's bigger, unresolved leak continue, this is simply not a good look.</p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/krugman-saltwater-freshwater-economists-keynes-2014-12">Paul Krugman Explains Why There Are Two Kinds Of Economists And One Kind Is Wrong</a></h3>        <div>            <div>    <script src="http://player.ooyala.com/v3/6e12e8b3387a44daacfb73afba25a76e"></script>    <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="pqeHlycTpl2gJg8FiJqfGbIYvT-ZWYVg" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div>    <script>    if (typeof RunFunctions === 'undefined') { var RunFunctions = []; }     RunFunctions.push(function()    {         var ooyalapopvideo = OO.Player.create('ooyalaplayer_popvideo', 'pqeHlycTpl2gJg8FiJqfGbIYvT-ZWYVg',{ autoplay: 'false' });     });    </script>    <noscript><div>Please enable Javascript to watch this video</div></noscript></div>        </div>        <script>(function() { function createPlayer() { OO.ready(function() { RunFunctions.forEach(function(ooyalaFunction) { ooyalaFunction(); }); RunFunctions = [];}); } createPlayer(); }()); </script>    </div>

There's been a leak at the Fed

<p><div class="image-container center"><div class="image"><img src="http://static2.businessinsider.com/image/5189392069beddcd1f000000-1200-924/ted-cruz-confused.jpg?maxX=800" border="0" alt="ted cruz confused" width="800" /><p class="source on-image">AP</p></div></div>There have been a lot of stories in the last day about how Sen. <keyword id="1649322" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Ted-Cruz">Ted Cruz</keyword> (R-Texas) has outraged House <span style="line-height: 1.5em;">conservatives by basically telling them</span><span style="line-height: 1.5em;"> them they're on their own to defund Obamacare. Here's the key quote from a statement Cruz issued yesterday:</span></p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span>"[Senate Majority Leader] Harry Reid will no doubt try to strip the defund language from the continuing resolution, and right now he likely has the votes to do so. At that point, House Republicans must stand firm, hold their ground, and continue to listen to the American people."</span></p>
<p><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">Some House Republicans and staff have responded with outrage, saying Cruz talks a good game but isn't willing to do his part to make sure the government stays closed unless Obamacare is funded.</span></p>
<p><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">This has raised hopes that House Republicans have reached their "breaking point" with Cruz and will agree to keep the government open once the Senate does exactly what Cruz predicts: strip defund provisions out of the CR and send it back to the House.</span></p>
<p>But look who's offering the heated quotes to press about Cruz. It's members of the House who were <em>already on the record against a shutdown</em>, or aides to House leadership, which has never wanted a shutdown.</p>
<p>Here's Rep. Sean Duffy (Wis.) on Wednesday:</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p>House agrees to send <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23CR&amp;src=hash">#CR</a> to Senate that defunds Obamacare. <a href="https://twitter.com/SenTedCruz">@SenTedCruz</a> &amp; <a href="https://twitter.com/SenMikeLee">@SenMikeLee</a> refuse to fight. Wave white flag and surrender.</p>
- Sean Duffy (@RepSeanDuffy) <a href="https://twitter.com/RepSeanDuffy/statuses/380447602522599424">September 18, 2013</a></blockquote>
<script async="" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script>
<p>Duffy <a href="http://wsau.com/news/articles/2013/sep/17/robocalls-campaigning-against-duffy-on-obamacare-defunding/">issued a statement</a> to local news affiliate WSAU on Tuesday saying "<span>I do not believe that forcing a government shutdown is the right tactic."</span></p>
<p>Rep. Tim Griffin (Ark.):</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p>so far Sen Rs are good at getting Facebook likes, and townhalls, not much else. Do something. . . RT ... <a href="http://t.co/fVo2eu2c6a">http://t.co/fVo2eu2c6a</a></p>
- Tim Griffin (@TimGriffinAR2) <a href="https://twitter.com/TimGriffinAR2/statuses/380442448498929664">September 18, 2013</a></blockquote>
<script async="" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script>
<p>Griffin <a href="http://www.arktimes.com/ArkansasBlog/archives/2013/08/22/rick-crawford-tim-griffin-sign-letter-urging-defunding-of-obamacare">told the Arkansas Times</a> last month, "<span style="color: #000000;">I do not support shutting down the government."</span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;">Rep. Tom Price (Ga.):</span></p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p>House Republicans are turning words into action to defund <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23Obamacare&amp;src=hash">#Obamacare</a>. Ball will be in the Senate's court.</p>
- Tom Price (@RepTomPrice) <a href="https://twitter.com/RepTomPrice/statuses/380453667813335040">September 18, 2013</a></blockquote>
<script async="" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script>
<p><span style="color: #000000;">Price <a href="http://www.ajc.com/weblogs/political-insider/2013/aug/21/your-daily-jolt-tom-price-offers-alternative-gover/">has also pushed against</a> the shutdown strategy, saying Republicans should instead seek a one-year delay of Obamacare.</span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;">Many of the harshest quotes about Cruz have come from unnamed aides to House leadership:</span></p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p>Wow. House gop leadership aide just told me "Wendy Davis has more balls than Ted Cruz." <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23gopvsgopugliness&amp;src=hash">#gopvsgopugliness</a></p>
- Dana Bash (@DanaBashCNN) <a href="https://twitter.com/DanaBashCNN/statuses/380469250642964480">September 18, 2013</a></blockquote>
<script async="" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script>
<p>Of course, these are the Republicans who had the most reason to be mad at Cruz, before and after his statement on Wednesday that it's up to the house to carry the ball on defunding Obamacare.</p>
<p>What we have not seen is rising frustration from the 30 or 40 House Republicans who reputedly will not vote for what Speaker John Boehner really wants: a continuing resolution that funds the government at sequestration levels without addressing Obamacare.</p>
<p>If they're not breaking with Cruz, then we still have the same problem we had three days ago, which is that the only continuing resolutions that can pass the House with the support of 217 Republicans will have to defund Obamacare. Cruz has alienated lots of people, but it's not clear he's alienated the people whose support he most needs.</p>
<p>Of course, Boehner can always keep the government open by letting Nancy Pelosi set the terms of a bill to keep the government open and providing a few Republican votes to create a majority. But if House Republicans weren't willing to do that a week ago, it's not obvious how that changes as a result of Cruz outrage.</p>

Ted Cruz's Bad Day Doesn't Mean A Government Shutdown Is Averted

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5787859d4321f11b008b81f6-2400/rtsht8a.jpg" alt="republican national convention" data-mce-source="REUTERS/Rick Wilking" data-mce-caption="Workers assemble part of the convention stage inside the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland." /><p class="source"><span>REUTERS/Rick Wilking</span></p><p class="caption">Workers assemble part of the convention stage inside the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland.</p></div><p></p></div></div>Donald Trump released the speaking list for the Republican National Convention in Cleveland on Thursday morning, and one major figure was noticeably missing.</p><p><span>T</span>he list omitted Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, a potential running mate who met with the presumptive Republican presidential nominee privately on Wednesday, heightening speculation he could be selected as Trump's choice for vice president.</p><p>Other potential picks like former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie are both included on the list of speakers.</p><p>The list included lawmakers, prominent military veterans, four of Trump's children, and figures from the business community like tech billionaire Peter Thiel.</p><p>While many Republican members of congress and longtime part operatives chose to skip this year's convention due to the polarizing nature of the Trump campaign, many top Republican part officials will still be there.</p><p>House Speaker Paul Ryan and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell are both slated to speak, as are other high-profile figures like Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker and Sen. Ted Cruz.</p><p>Though Trump hasn't released the speaking order, the New York Times <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/14/us/politics/republican-convention-speakers-donald-trump.html?_r=0">reported</a> Wednesday evening that Trump plans to organize the nights by themes, including a night dedicated to the economy and one dedicated to the attacks on the American consulate in Benghazi, Libya, in 2012. </p><h2>Here's the list of people speaking at the convention:</h2><ul><li><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">Pastor Mark Burns </span></li><li>Phil Ruffin </li><li>Rep. Ryan Zinke </li><li>Pat Smith </li><li>Mark Geist </li><li>John Tiegen </li><li>Rep. Michael McCaul </li><li>Sheriff David Clarke </li><li>Rep. Sean Duffy </li><li>Darryl Glenn </li><li>Sen. Tom Cotton </li><li>Karen Vaughn</li><li>Gov. Mike Huckabee</li><li>Mayor Rudy Giuliani</li><li>Melania Trump</li><li>Sen. Joni Ernst</li><li>Kathryn Gates-Skipper</li><li>Marcus Luttrell</li><li>Dana White</li><li>Gov. Asa Hutchinson</li><li>Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge</li><li>Michael Mukasey</li><li>Andy Wist</li><li>Sen. Jeff Sessions</li><li>Retired Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn</li><li>Alex Smith</li><li>House Speaker Paul Ryan</li><li>Rep. Kevin McCarthy</li><li>Kerry Woolard</li><li>Sen. Shelley Moore Capito</li><li>Dr. Ben Carson</li><li>Co-Chair Sharon Day</li><li>Natalie Gulbis</li><li>Kimberlin Brown</li><li>Antonio Sabato, Jr.</li><li>Peter Thiel</li><li>Eileen Collins</li><li>Sen. Ted Cruz</li><li>Newt Gingrich</li><li>Michelle Van Etten</li><li>Lynne Patton</li><li>Eric Trump</li><li>Harold Hamm</li><li>Congressman Chris Collins</li><li>Brock Mealer</li><li>Rep. Marsha Blackburn</li><li>Gov. Mary Fallin</li><li>Darrell Scott</li><li>Lisa Shin</li><li>Gov. Rick Scott</li><li>RNC Chairman Reince Priebus</li><li>Tom Barrack</li><li>Ivanka Trump</li><li>Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi</li><li>Jerry Falwell Jr.</li><li>Rabbi Haskel Lookstein</li><li>Chris Cox</li><li>Sen. Mitch McConnell</li><li>Tiffany Trump</li><li>Gov. Chris Christie</li><li>Donald J. Trump Jr.</li><li>Gov. Scott Walker</li></ul>     <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/lieutenant-general-michael-flynn-cant-say-if-democrat-republican-donald-trump-2016-7">Watch possible Trump VP refuse to answer whether he's a Democrat</a></h3>        <div>            <div>    <script src="http://player.ooyala.com/v3/6e12e8b3387a44daacfb73afba25a76e"></script>    <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="B4aWZvNDE6b0ongiWHDJ6tsGeOh2bQOD" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div>    <script>    if (typeof RunFunctions === 'undefined') { var RunFunctions = []; }     RunFunctions.push(function()    {         var ooyalapopvideo = OO.Player.create('ooyalaplayer_popvideo', 'B4aWZvNDE6b0ongiWHDJ6tsGeOh2bQOD',{ autoplay: 'false' });     });    </script>    <noscript><div>Please enable Javascript to watch this video</div></noscript></div>        </div>        <script>(function() { function createPlayer() { OO.ready(function() { RunFunctions.forEach(function(ooyalaFunction) { ooyalaFunction(); }); RunFunctions = [];}); } createPlayer(); }()); </script>    </div>

Donald Trump releases speakers list for GOP convention - and one person is noticeably missing

<p><div class="image-container float_right"><div class="image"><img src="http://static5.businessinsider.com/image/52139ac06bb3f74f59000008-1200-924/john-boehner-63.jpg?maxX=480" border="0" alt="John Boehner" width="480" /><p class="source on-image">AP</p></div></div>The <keyword id="141565" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="House-of-Representatives">House of Representatives</keyword> is voting soon on a government spending bill that would keep the government funded past Sept. 30 - and <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/ted-cruz-obamacare-defunding-government-shutdown-boehner-2013-9" target="_blank">would also strip funding for the Affordable Care Act</a>.</p>
<p>The bill is expected to pass in the House, with most Republicans expected to support it with no help from Democrats. It will then head to the Democratic-controlled Senate, where Democrats are expected to have enough votes to <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/ted-cruz-defund-obamacare-shutdown-government-boehner-senate-2013-9" target="_blank">strip from the bill the language that defunds Obamacare</a>.</p>
<p>The vote in the House today comes after two weeks of House leadership struggling to find a strategy that avoids a <keyword id="469382" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="government-shutdown">government shutdown</keyword> but also appeases the ultra-conservative wing of the party that wants to use the threat of a shutdown as a last-ditch effort to stop <keyword id="6579869" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="ObamaCare">Obamacare</keyword>, the implementation of whose main provisions starts next month.</p>
<p>On Wednesday, House Speaker John Boehner gave into the demands of his party's conservative wing and announced that he would bring to the floor a continuing resolution that includes the language defunding Obamacare. The bill keeps the government funded only through Dec. 15. </p>
<p>The bill has caused a significant amount of division between House and Senate Republicans this week. Most of House Republicans' <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/ted-cruz-obamacare-defunding-government-shutdown-boehner-2013-9" target="_blank">ire has been directed at Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas),</a> who has pushed the House to take up the cause of defunding Obamacare but admitted Wednesday that his gambit was not likely to succeed in the Senate.</p>
<p>On Friday morning, Rep. Sean Duffy (R-Wis.) said Cruz and other Senate Republicans had <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/ted-cruzs-obamacare-defunding-sean-duffy-peter-king-real-world-2013-9" target="_blank">"bullied" and "abused" House Republicans into a failed approach</a>.</p>
<p>"You should have been on the floor back in the cloak room," Duffy said on MSNBC's "Morning Joe."</p>
<p>"There was so much anger, so much frustration. Because, again, we've been abused by these guys for so long. What I see happening now is people coming out and calling them out for the hypocrisy of these big, tough conservatives who know how to fight but will never get in the ring."</p>

Here Comes The Next Step In The GOP Civil War: House Vote To Defund Obamacare

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5cc1ed3ed1a2f845bf2cc4ea-2222/healthcare mag-15.jpg" border="0" alt="Smile Direct Club brightening" data-mce-source="Hollis Johnson/Business Insider" /></div></div></div></p><p>Hello,</p><p>Just when you think you're headed for a slow August news week... </p><p>On Thursday, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/author/emma-court">Emma Court</a> spotted the hashtag #CVSDeniesCare going viral around Twitter.</p><p>So we spent the day getting to the heart of it. What we found was a <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/pill-club-fight-with-cvs-caremark-over-reimbursement-for-birth-control-2019-8">dispute between birth control startup Pill Club and Caremark, the pharmacy benefit arm of CVS Health, over the reimbursement rates Pill Club gets </a>for dispensing drugs to customers who use Caremark</p><p>A spokesman for CVS told Business Insider that the claims made by Pill Club are "extremely misleading."</p><h3><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/pill-club-fight-with-cvs-caremark-over-reimbursement-for-birth-control-2019-8">The result is a strange tale of how a battle between 2 healthcare companies morphed into a viral Twitter backlash against CVS. You can read it here. </a></h3><p>It probably won't be the end of that story, and it'll be interesting to see how the contract issue gets resolved. We'll keep you posted. </p><p>Then, Friday morning, $3.2 billion teeth-straightening company <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/smiledirectclub-s-1-to-go-public-2019-8">SmileDirectClub filed paperwork with the Securities and Exchange Commission to go public.</a> It's the latest in the wave of digital health companies to make their way onto the public markets. </p><p>As a brief refresher, SmileDirectClub is a startup that provides clear aligners for teeth. While it typically costs anywhere from $3,000 to $7,000 to get traditional braces or Invisalign-brand aligners, SmileDirectClub goes for a fraction of that - you can either pay $1,895 up front, or a total of $2,290 total spread out over two years. The company was started by Alex Fenkell and Jordan Katzman in 2014.</p><h3><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/investors-in-smiledirectclub-before-initial-public-offering-2019-8">Find the list of investors who stand to make the most when SmileDirectClub goes public here. </a></h3><p><strong><em>Are you new to<span> </span><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/category/dispensed">our newsletter</a>? You can<span> </span><a href="http://newsletter.businessinsider.com/join/health-insider">sign up for Dispensed</a> here.</em></strong></p><p>This week, I had the scoop on Ancestry's future health ambitions after chatting with Ancestry CEO Margo Georgiadis. The company has long stuck to family trees rather than genetic predispositions, but that could soon change. </p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image"><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ancestry-ceo-margo-georgiadis-health-strategy-2019-8"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5d430996100a24078d56fa59-2400/margogeogriadis18-6639.jpg" border="0" alt="Margo Geogriadis" data-mce-source="Courtesy Ancestry" data-mce-caption="Ancestry CEO Margo Georgiadis" /></a></div></div></div></p><h3><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ancestry-ceo-margo-georgiadis-health-strategy-2019-8">Ancestry's DNA test has traced the family histories of more than 15 million people. Now the genealogy giant plans to get into healthcare.</a></h3><ul><li>The genealogy giant Ancestry is planning to get into health in a big way, according to the company's CEO and a review of its job postings.</li><li>The company has historically avoided healthcare, even as personal-genetics companies like 23andMe have made it a key part of their businesses.</li><li>"The possibilities in consumer genomics to help really shift to individualized medicine, the opportunities are just endless," CEO Margo Georgiadis said in an interview.</li></ul><p>Meanwhile, Emma has an essential read this week on Epidiolex, the first cannabis-derived drug approved by the FDA. A year in, here's what it's doing for those living with and caring for rare seizure disorders. </p><h3><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/gw-pharmaceuticals-cbd-drug-epidiolex-for-lennox-gastaut-dravet-syndromes-2019-7">A groundbreaking drug made from cannabis has brought hope for kids with rare seizure disorders. We talked to parents, doctors, and the company's CEO to find out if it lives up the hype.</a></h3><ul><li>A new drug that's made from a component of cannabis called CBD became available in the US last year to treat rare forms of childhood epilepsy. That makes it the first cannabis-derived CBD drug in the US.</li><li>The medicine, Epidiolex, has a list price of $32,500 a year and has proven lucrative for drugmaker GW Pharmaceuticals.</li><li>Business Insider spoke with the parents of four kids who have taken the drug about what it's been like. For most of their kids, the treatment has helped to some degree, but they also recounted sometimes-severe side effects and long delays at the pharmacy.</li><li>The hype around marijuana and CBD raised hopes for many that Epidiolex would be a miracle cure, they and doctors who prescribe the treatment say.</li><li>Experiences with Epidiolex foreshadow the issues that other cannabis-based drugs could grapple with as more come to market.</li></ul><p>And the young-blood company <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/author/erin-brodwin">Erin Brodwin</a> has been following - Ambrosia - had a big update this week. It's shut down, but its founder Jesse Karmazin isn't done yet. He's launching a new company, this one named Ivy Plasma that will provide blood transfusions that aren't age-specific. </p><h3><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/young-blood-transfusions-ambrosia-shut-down-2019-6">Read more about the end of Ambrosia and the beginnings of Ivy Plasma here. </a></h3><p>We put out a lot more from the 30 healthcare leaders under 40 project we launched last week. (Missed it? <strong><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/30-people-under-40-changing-healthcare-2019-7">Here's the main list.</a></strong>)</p><p>Get your reading lists ready... we asked all of our nominees for the healthcare books they'd recommend you pick up if you're looking for a better understanding of healthcare. Here's what they told us. </p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image"><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/best-healthcare-book-recommendations-from-top-young-leaders-2019-8"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5d434e2d100a240a66160894-1200/30 leaders in healthcare2x1.png" border="0" alt="30 leaders in healthcare_2x1" data-mce-source="Iyah Romm and Toyin Ajayi; The Ora Lee Smith Cancer Research Foundation; Cleveland Clinic; One Medical; Taryn Colbert/Business Insider" /></a></div></div></div></p><h3><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/best-healthcare-book-recommendations-from-top-young-leaders-2019-8"><strong>The 29 best books to read if you want to disrupt US healthcare, according to top young leaders in the $3.5 trillion industry</strong></a></h3><p>And then some more posts and profiles based on our conversations with the nominees. </p><ul><li>From my conversation with Oscar Health's chief product officer Sara Wajnberg: <strong><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/oscar-health-sara-wajnberg-early-lessons-building-tech-product-2019-8">A top exec at Oscar Health told us why the $3.2 billion insurer had to build its own tech, and it offers a crucial lesson for every startup</a></strong></li><li>From my chat with Allison Baker, who's leading Kroger's push to prescribe food as medicine: <strong><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-allison-baker-became-krogers-director-of-nutrition-by-29-2019-8">Meet the 29-year-old in charge of America's largest grocery chain's bet that it can get paid to keep you healthy with food rather than pills</a></strong></li><li>From Erin Brodwin's conversations with nominees Kimber Lockhart of One Medical, and Sean Duffy of Omada Health:<strong><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/health-tech-leaders-say-startup-founders-try-fail-reinvent-wheel-2019-8"> Top health-tech leaders say many founders in healthcare get tripped up trying to 'reinvent the wheel.' Here's how you can avoid that pitfall.</a></strong></li><li>From Emma Court's conversation with Moderna's Kristen Park Hopson: <strong><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/career-advice-from-biotech-scientist-modernas-kristen-park-hopson-2019-8">A scientist who's working to transform cancer treatments at a $4 billion biotech shares why you should ditch the 'CEO of a company by age 35' mentality</a></strong></li><li>From my conversation with CVS Health's Ben Wanamaker: <strong><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ben-wanamakers-strategy-for-picking-technology-bets-at-aetna-2019-8">The 37-year-old in charge of Aetna's digital strategy breaks down the simple questions he uses to figure out if tech projects will work </a></strong></li><li>And from my conversation with Anthem's Mariya Filipova:<strong> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/anthems-mariya-filipova-perspective-as-patient-and-executive-2019-8">A 35-year-old executive at health insurer Anthem was diagnosed with a kidney tumor 18 months ago. She told us how that's changed her approach to her work.</a></strong></li></ul><p>I'll leave you with two pieces of news you can use.</p><p><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/author/clarrie-feinstein">Clarrie Feinstein</a> and policy fellow <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/author/joseph-zeballos-roig">Joseph Zeballos-Roig</a> took a close look at how Medicare For All would change every single part of the massive, $3.5 trillion healthcare industry we have here in the US. <strong><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-medicare-for-all-would-affect-us-healthcare-system-2019-8">Read more to find out how it would affect employers, doctors, hospitals, drugmakers, insurers and more. </a></strong></p><p>And Clarrie and Emma rounded up the 28 biotech startups that have at traced the most venture cash (ergo, prime candidates for M&amp;A or an IPO). <strong><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/biotech-ipo-and-ma-predictions-from-jefferies-analyst-michael-yee-2019-8">You can check out the full list here.</a> </strong></p><p>This is the last you'll hear from me for the next three weeks! I'm off starting next Wednesday to prep for my wedding and then will be off on my honeymoon. In the meantime, you'll be hearing from the rest of the healthcare team here, which should be a fun change of pace. They'll keep you up to date with all the goings on in healthcare while I delete my Twitter app and take a break from it all. </p><p>Hope you all have a great rest of your summer! </p><p>- Lydia </p><p class="tagline"><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/intelligence/digital-health?IR=T&amp;itm_source=businessinsider&amp;itm_medium=ctgr_bii&amp;itm_term=ctgr_subscription&amp;itm_content=health&amp;itm_campaign=digital-health-2"><img src="https://static.businessinsider.com/image/5d372215454a397ceb1bccd5" alt="Join Digital Health Pro" border="0" style="width: 100% !important" /></a></p>

Dispensed: The curious case of a viral hashtag, SmileDirectClub's IPO plans, and the 29 books to read if you want to disrupt healthcare

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5db84faadee0194f16551a13-2000/alexander vindman .jpg" border="0" alt="Alexander Vindman " data-mce-source="AP Photo/Patrick Semansky" data-mce-caption="Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman" /><p class="source"><span>AP Photo/Patrick Semansky</span></p><p class="caption">Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman</p></div><p></p></div></div></p><ul class="summary-list"><li>On Tuesday morning, Army Lieutenant Colonel and National Security Council official Alexander Vindman testified to congressional investigators pursuing an impeachment inquiry into President <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/who-is-donald-trump-bio-age-family-key-positions-2019-4">Donald Trump</a>.</li><li>Vindman and his family fled the former Soviet Union in the 1970s. Vindman was later commissioned into the US Army, and awarded a Purple Heart medal after being injured by an IED while serving in Iraq in 2003.</li><li>"I am a patriot, and it is my sacred duty and honor to advance and defend OUR country, irrespective of party or <keyword id="6358883" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="politics">politics</keyword>," he said in his opening statement.</li><li>Vindman is a particularly damaging witness for Trump because he has firsthand knowledge of a July 25 phone call between Trump and Ukraine's president that is at the center of the impeachment inquiry.</li><li>His testimony also undercuts the testimony of the US ambassador to the EU Gordon Sondland and may open Sondland up to a perjury charge.</li><li><strong><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/?hprecirc-bullet" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories</a>.</strong></li></ul><p>On Tuesday morning, Army Lieutenant Colonel and National Security Council (NSC) official Alexander Vindman sat down with House investigators pursuing the impeachment inquiry into President <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/who-is-donald-trump-bio-age-family-key-positions-2019-4">Donald Trump</a>.</p><p>The <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/28/us/politics/Alexander-Vindman-trump-impeachment.html">New York Times on Monday</a> reported that Vindman, a career Army officer and public servant currently working on Trump's NSC, was subpoenaed by the three House committees leading the impeachment inquiry process after raising concerns to his superiors over Trump's dealings with Ukraine. </p><p>Vindman was commissioned into the US Army in 1999, where he completed multiple tours of duty in South Korea, Germany, and a combat deployment in Iraq. Vindman was also awarded a Purple Heart medal after being injured by an IED while serving in Iraq 2003, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/29/us/politics/who-is-alexander-vindman.html">according to The Times.</a></p><p>After earning a master's degree in Eastern European, Eurasian, and Asian studies from Harvard University, Vindman became an Army foreign area officer in 2008. Following stints at the US embassies in Russia and Ukraine, he moved to the NSC in 2018 to work on Eurasian affairs. </p><p>In his six-page opening statement to Congress, <a href="https://static.politico.com/69/13/cdffb8a4420a8a4d8a65439570f2/vindman-statement-final.pdf">obtained by several news outlets,</a> Vindman said he "became aware of outside influencers promoting a false narrative of Ukraine inconsistent with the consensus views of the interagency" that "was harmful to U.S. government policy."</p><p>Those influences likely reference Trump's personal lawyer <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/rudy-giuliani-weak-link-trump-ukraine-scandal-2019-10">Rudy Giuliani's back-channel campaign</a> to encourage Ukrainian officials to investigate former Vice President <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/who-is-joe-biden-bio-age-family-key-positions-2019-3">Joe Biden</a> and his son Hunter for engaging in corrupt activity. Giuliani worked closely with the US ambassador to the EU Gordon Sondland, the US's Special Representative to Ukraine Kurt Volker, and outgoing Energy Secretary Rick Perry on the shadow campaign.</p><p>There is no evidence of any wrongdoing by Biden or his son.</p><h2>Vindman is a particularly damaging witness for Trump</h2><p>A whistleblower complaint filed against Trump also <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/read-declassified-whistleblower-complaint-ukraine-trump-zelensky-2019-9">detailed concerns</a> about how Trump used a July 25 phone call with Zelensky to leverage "the power of his office to solicit interference from a foreign country in the 2020 U.S. election" by pressuring the Ukrainian government to investigate the Bidens days after <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-ukraine-military-aid-phone-call-2019-9">withholding a nearly $400 million military-aid package</a>. </p><p>A <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/read-the-transcript-of-trumps-call-with-the-ukrainian-president-2019-9">memo summarizing the call</a> released by the White House confirmed the substance of the whistleblower's complaint. It showed that after telling Zelensky that "we do a lot" for Ukraine in terms of military support, Trump asked him for "a favor" by investigating Hunter Biden's business dealings and helping to discredit the Russia probe.</p><p>Career diplomats and officials including Volker, former US ambassador to Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch, and acting US ambassador to Ukraine Bill Taylor <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-officials-reveal-state-department-ukraine-impeachment-2019-10">have given damning testimony to Congress</a> regarding Giuliani's and Sondland's campaign to condition security assistance to Ukraine on the investigations Trump wanted.</p><p>But Vindman's testimony is particularly poignant because he is the first official with direct knowledge of the July 25 call to talk to lawmakers.</p><p>His proximity to the White House's national-security apparatus and to other top officials responsible for Ukraine policy means Vindman also has knowledge of other key events connected to the impeachment inquiry.</p><p>For instance, <a href="https://static.politico.com/69/13/cdffb8a4420a8a4d8a65439570f2/vindman-statement-final.pdf">in his opening statement</a>, Vindman recounted how in a July 10 meeting with Ukrainian officials, Sondland, then-National Security Advisor John Bolton, and Volker, "Sondland started to speak about Ukraine delivering specific investigations in order to secure the meeting with the President, at which time Ambassador Bolton cut the meeting short."</p><p>Vindman said he and Fiona Hill, then the White House's senior director for Russian and Eurasian affairs, told Sondland it was "inappropriate" for him to underscore the importance of Ukraine giving Trump the investigations he wanted.</p><p>"I stated to Amb. Sondland that his statements were inappropriate, that the request to investigate Biden and his son had nothing to do with national security, and that such investigations were not something the NSC was going to get involved in or push," Vindman told lawmakers, according to his statement.</p><p>The army veteran said he was worried enough by the event that he reported his concerns to John Eisenberg, the NSC's top lawyer.</p><h2>Vindman's testimony opens a key Trump official up to a perjury charge</h2><p>Vindman's revelation is noteworthy because it directly undercuts parts of Sondland's testimony to Congress earlier this month. In particular, it raises doubts about Sondland's claim that "neither Ambassador Bolton, Dr. Hill, nor anyone else in the NSC staff ever expressed any concerns to me about our efforts … or any concerns that we were acting improperly."</p><p>Sondland added that if Bolton, Hill, "or any others harbored misgivings about the propriety of what we were doing, they never shared those misgivings with me, then or later."</p><p>On Monday, Rep. Joaquin Castro of Texas, who sits on the House Intelligence Committee, tweeted that "based on all the testimony so far, I believe that Ambassador Gordon Sondland committed perjury."</p><p>The second red flag for Vindman came on July 25, when Trump had his now-infamous call with Zelensky. Vindman, who listened in on the call, was so alarmed that he reported his concerns again to Eisenberg, believing Trump's actions could "undermine US national security."</p><p>"I did not think it was proper to demand that a foreign government investigate a U.S. citizen, and I was worried about the implications for 6 the U.S. government's support of Ukraine," he said in his opening remarks. "I realized that if Ukraine pursued an investigation into the Bidens and Burisma, it would likely be interpreted as a partisan play which would undoubtedly result in Ukraine losing the bipartisan support it has thus far maintained."</p><h2><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5d98562b49e03f1dc243b3b3-2000/2019-09-25t220143z4lynxmpef8o25grtroptp4usa-trump-whistleblower.jpg" border="0" alt="Volodymyr Zelenskiy zelensky trump whistleblower" data-mce-source="REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst" data-mce-caption="Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy meets US President Donald Trump at the United Nations General Assembly in New York City on September 25, 2019." /><p class="source"><span>REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst</span></p><p class="caption">Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy meets US President Donald Trump at the United Nations General Assembly in New York City on September 25, 2019.</p></div><p></p></div></div></h2><h2>Trump loyalists launched a smear campaign against Vindman when it became clear he would hurt Trump's <keyword id="6354810" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="defense">defense</keyword></h2><p>Vindman's journey to the White House began with a quintessential immigrant story. At age three, Vindman, his parents, and his twin brother fled the former Soviet Union and settled in a heavily Eastern European neighborhood in Brooklyn, where Vindman <a href="https://static.politico.com/69/13/cdffb8a4420a8a4d8a65439570f2/vindman-statement-final.pdf">wrote in his statement</a> that his "father worked multiple jobs to support us, all the while learning English at night."</p><p>Vindman's twin, Yevgeny, also works on the NSC.</p><p>After <keyword id="6355005" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="news">news</keyword> broke that Vindman's testimony would be unflattering to Trump, several conservative commentators on both Fox News and CNN <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/conservatives-doubt-loyalty-of-nsc-official-on-trumps-ukraine-call-2019-10">doubted Vindman's loyalty and patriotism</a> due to his Ukrainian heritage.</p><p>The Times reported that Ukrainian officials asked Vindman to explain Giuliani's overtures to them, because he is fluent in Ukrainian and has a deep knowledge of the region, and to help them figure out how to respond.</p><p>Appearing on Fox News' "The Ingraham Angle," the former Bush administration lawyer John Yoo said The Times' reporting suggested Vindman was guilty of espionage. Yoo worked at the Justice Department under Bush and wrote several legal opinions after the 9/11 attacks to justify torturing suspected terrorists.</p><p>On Tuesday morning, the "FOX &amp; Friends" co-host Brian Kilmeade described Vindman as having a "simpatico" position toward Ukraine. CNN commentator and former Republican Rep. Sean Duffy of Wisconsin said Vindman has "an affinity for Ukraine," adding, "it seems very clear that he is incredibly concerned about Ukrainian defense. I don't know that he's concerned about American policy."</p><p>Vindman indirectly rebutted those criticisms in his statement, writing, "In spite of our challenging beginnings, my family worked to build its own American dream. I have a deep appreciation for American values and ideals and the power of freedom. I am a patriot, and it is my sacred duty and honor to advance and defend OUR country, irrespective of party or politics."</p><p>House GOP Conference Chair Rep. Liz Cheney of Wyoming <a href="https://twitter.com/kylegriffin1/status/1189207820148842497">sharply criticized</a> the commentators questioning Vindman's patriotism, calling them "shameful."</p><p>"Their patriotism, their love of country, we're talking about decorated veterans who have served this nation, who have put their lives on the line, and it is shameful to question their patriotism, their love of this nation, and we should not be involved in that process," she said. </p><p><strong>Read more: </strong></p><p><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/alexander-vindman-testimony-undercuts-trump-defense-ukraine-call-2019-10" data-analytics-position="10" data-analytics-module="onecolumn-post_image">A top White House official is about to blow a hole through Trump's main defense about the Ukraine call</a></p><p><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/conservatives-doubt-loyalty-of-nsc-official-on-trumps-ukraine-call-2019-10" data-analytics-position="1" data-analytics-module="homepage-river">Conservative commentators are questioning the loyalty of a NSC official and Iraq veteran set to testify in the impeachment inquiry</a></p><p><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/white-house-aide-to-testify-twice-reported-trump-ukraine-concerns-2019-10" data-analytics-position="15" data-analytics-module="homepage-river">A White House national security aide will testify that he twice reported concerns about Trump's Ukraine dealings out of fear Trump would 'undermine US national security'</a></p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/pepe-frog-meme-hate-symbol-hope-hong-kong-protesters-2019-10">Extremists turned a frog meme into a hate symbol, but Hong Kong protesters revived it as an emblem of hope</a></h3>        <div>            <iframe class="bijwplayerclass" data-player="jwplayer" src="https://content.jwplatform.com/players/A6EN9Vxm-CEZHWCBG.html" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" scrolling="auto" style="margin:0px;" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><script>function receiveMessage(event){ console.log(event.data.fullscreen); Android.fullscreen(event.data.fullscreen); }window.addEventListener("message", receiveMessage, false);</script>        </div>    </div>

Meet Alexander Vindman: The refugee, Army colonel, and Purple Heart recipient testifying about his concerns over Trump's Ukraine dealings

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container float_right"><div class="image on-image"><img src="http://static1.businessinsider.com/image/525e98316bb3f79f636d0fd5-1200-924/harry-reid-38.jpg?maxX=480" border="0" alt="Harry Reid" width="480" /><p class="source">AP</p></div><p></p></div></p>
<p>Yesterday it looked like <keyword id="73064" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Harry-Reid">Harry Reid</keyword> might be put into a tight spot.</p>
<p>GOP leadership in the House planned to disrupt the Senate negotiations by pushing forth its own bill to lift the debt ceiling and reopen the government.</p>
<p>The bill might have put Democrats including Harry Reid in an awkward spot because the GOP bill was not going to be wildly unreasonable, but because acquiescing to it would have been acquiescing to "ransom" demands.</p>
<p>But in the end, Harry Reid was not forced into a difficult position.</p>
<p>Around 5:15 p.m. Tuesday night, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid got help from two unexpected sources. </p>
<p>First, Heritage Action, an influential conservative group that has led the charge to "defund Obamacare" in recent months, came out and <a href="http://heritageaction.com/key-votes/key-vote-no-on-house-spending-and-debt-deal/" target="_blank">urged lawmakers to vote "no"</a> on the House's legislation, arguing that it didn't do enough to change the Affordable Care Act.</p>
<p>About an hour later, <a href="http://www.freedomworks.org/blog/mkibbe/key-vote-no-on-the-houses-deal-to-fund-the-governm" target="_blank">FreedomWorks echoed Heritage's</a> key vote of "no," with President and CEO Matt Kibbe saying the legislation amounted to a "full surrender" from Republicans on Obamacare.</p>
<p>A little while later, House GOP <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/debt-ceiling-shutdown-deal-house-boehner-2013-10" target="_blank">leadership shelved consideration of the legislation</a>. A House GOP aide said that the legislation was "cooked" before the two conservative groups announced their opposition. But amid rising conservative angst, those two groups stuck the final knife in the House plan. </p>
<p>A Senate Democratic aide said that they would have preferred if the House passed legislation, because it would speed up the process in a race to the Oct. 17 debt-ceiling deadline.</p>
<p>"It <span>would provide us a vehicle and allow us to move more quickly through the Senate process," the aide said.</span></p>
<p>But the failure of the House legislation already appears to have done that, <a href="http://www.politico.com/story/2013/10/government-shutdown-debt-ceiling-default-update-98390.html" target="_blank">as Politico reports</a> that the House may <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/debt-ceiling-shutdown-deal-reid-mcconnell-2013-10" target="_blank">vote first on the Senate's emerging deal to reopen the government and raise the debt ceiling</a>. If the House votes first, it would give the Senate an escape from weighty procedural hurdles and possibly allow the bill to come to President Barack Obama's desk by the deadline. </p>
<p>The House legislation's failure also resigned Speaker John Boehner to the inevitable - he will have to put the Senate bill on the House floor, even though it will have to pass with a majority of Democratic votes and, likely, a minority of Republicans. </p>
<p>The rank-and-file, by and large, is also quickly accepting the eventual end game. Rep. Sean Duffy (R-Wis.) told "Morning Joe" on Wednesday that the Senate legislation will pass the House. Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler (R-Wash.) said in a <a href="http://herrerabeutler.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=355628" target="_blank">statement</a> that "it's time to face reality."</p>

Two Of The Country's Most Conservative Groups Helped Bail Out Harry Reid At The Last Minute

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container float_right"><div class="image on-image"><img src="http://static1.businessinsider.com/image/525e98316bb3f79f636d0fd5-1200-924/harry-reid-38.jpg?maxX=480" border="0" alt="Harry Reid" width="480" /><p class="source">AP</p></div><p></p></div></p>
<p>On Tuesday, it looked like Senate Majority Leader <keyword id="73064" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Harry-Reid">Harry Reid</keyword> might be put into a tight spot.</p>
<p>GOP leadership in the House planned to disrupt the Senate negotiations by <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/debt-ceiling-shutdown-deal-house-boehner-2013-10" target="_blank">pushing its own bill to lift the debt ceiling and reopen the government</a>.</p>
<p>The bill could have put Democrats including Harry Reid in an awkward spot because the GOP bill was not going to be wildly unreasonable - and because acquiescing to it would have been acquiescing to "ransom" demands.</p>
<p>In the end, Reid was not forced into a difficult position. And he got some help from unlikely sources.</p>
<p><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;">First, around 5:15 p.m. Tuesday night, Heritage Action, an influential conservative group that has led the charge to "defund Obamacare" in recent months, came out and </span><a href="http://heritageaction.com/key-votes/key-vote-no-on-house-spending-and-debt-deal/" target="_blank">urged lawmakers to vote "no"</a><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;"> on the House's legislation, arguing that it didn't do enough to change the Affordable Care Act.</span></p>
<p>About an hour later, <a href="http://www.freedomworks.org/blog/mkibbe/key-vote-no-on-the-houses-deal-to-fund-the-governm" target="_blank">FreedomWorks echoed Heritage's</a> key vote of "no," with president and CEO Matt Kibbe saying the legislation amounted to a "full surrender" from Republicans on Obamacare.</p>
<p>A little while later, House GOP <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/debt-ceiling-shutdown-deal-house-boehner-2013-10" target="_blank">leadership shelved consideration of the legislation</a>. A House GOP aide said that the legislation was "cooked" before the two conservative groups announced their opposition. But amid rising conservative angst, those two groups stuck the final knife in the House plan. </p>
<p>A Senate Democratic aide said that they would have preferred if the House passed legislation, because it would speed up the process in a race to the Oct. 17 debt-ceiling deadline.</p>
<p>"It <span>would provide us a vehicle and allow us to move more quickly through the Senate process," the aide said.</span></p>
<p>But the failure of the House legislation already appears to have done that, <a href="http://www.politico.com/story/2013/10/government-shutdown-debt-ceiling-default-update-98390.html" target="_blank">as Politico reports</a> that the House may <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/debt-ceiling-shutdown-deal-reid-mcconnell-2013-10" target="_blank">vote first on the Senate's emerging deal to reopen the government and raise the debt ceiling</a>. If the House votes first, it would give the Senate an escape from weighty procedural hurdles and possibly allow the bill to come to President Barack Obama's desk by the deadline. </p>
<p>The House legislation's failure also resigned Speaker John Boehner to the inevitable - he will have to put the Senate bill on the House floor, even though it will have to pass with a majority of Democratic votes and, likely, a minority of Republicans. </p>
<p>The rank-and-file, by and large, is also quickly accepting the eventual end game. Rep. Sean Duffy (R-Wis.) told "Morning Joe" on Wednesday that the Senate legislation will pass the House. Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler (R-Wash.) said in a <a href="http://herrerabeutler.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=355628" target="_blank">statement</a> that "it's time to face reality."</p>

<p></p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/578eb0544321f171088b94ed-875/gettyimages-577295128.jpg" alt="GettyImages 577295128" data-mce-source="Joe Raedle/Getty Images" data-mce-caption="Presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump gives a thumbs up to the crowd after his wife Melania delivered a speech on the first day of the Republican National Convention on July 18, 2016 at the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio."><p class="source"><span>Joe Raedle/Getty Images</span></p><p class="caption">Donald Trump gives a thumbs up to the crowd after his wife Melania delivered a speech.</p></img></div><p></p></div></div>CLEVELAND - The first night of the Republican National Convention didn't go as planned.<p>Melania Trump, the wife of presumptive presidential nominee Donald Trump, has been accused of delivering lines lifted from Michelle Obama in her speech Monday night.</p><p>And Iowa Sen. Joni Ernst, one of few prominent Republican politicians scheduled to speak that night, didn't go on until after 11 p.m. She delivered her address to a quickly emptying arena.</p><p>At an Iowa delegation lunch on Tuesday, Ernst alluded to the later-than-expected speaking slot. She thanked the Iowa delegation on the convention floor, whose members stood for the duration of Ernst's speech as dozens of others filed out of the arena.</p><p>"It was great to take the stage last night, and as I looked to my left, there was the Iowa sign with the Iowa delegation, every last one of you on your feet the entire speech," Ernst said. "So I want to thank you for that. It shows a solidarity we have in our Iowa delegation."</p><p>Monday wasn't a great start for a party already facing questions about its future in America. Republican leaders speaking to the media spent much of the&#xa0;second day of the convention defending Melania Trump against plagiarism accusations, and some politicians wondered why the Trump campaign couldn't seem to keep its first night of speeches on track.</p><p>Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad said he was "disappointed" with Ernst's speech being pushed past 11 p.m. and said Lt. Gen. Mike Flynn, who was on Trump's running mate short list before his campaign tapped Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, shouldn't have spoken for as long as he did. Flynn took the stage after Melania Trump finished.</p><p>"I thought the general that was on before her went way too long," Branstad told Business Insider at the Iowa delegation lunch. "I was disappointed that she wasn't there in primetime as it was originally intended. But, she still gave a great speech and we're all very proud of Joni and I thought she did a great job."</p><p>He continued: "Our whole delegation stood up through the whole speech and we just wish there would have been more people there and it would've been in primetime."</p><p>Iowa Rep. Steve Smith echoed this sentiment.</p><p>"Missing the prime time slot, that was a shame," Smith told Business Insider. "I think they should have shut the place down at 11 o'clock when prime time was over and rescheduled Joni to speak [Wednesday]&#xa0;to give her a better slot."</p><p>He continued: "And this convention could be run more tightly. If you're running an event like this, we do something like this, we do it to the minute. And we've got items in our schedule that we can shorten up in order to catch up if we get behind. That's just what needed to happen."</p><p>Another Republican politician, Montana Rep. Ryan Zinke, also took the stage after 11 p.m. When asked Tuesday morning what he thought of how the speeches went on Monday, he praised Melania Trump's address and dismissed the accusations of plagiarism.</p><p>"Melania I thought was brilliant and I'm aghast at the criticism because I think First Lady speeches are pretty much the same," Zinke told Business Insider, noting he thought Melania's praise of her husband was "passionate" and "realistic."</p><p>While more traditional convention speakers like Ernst and Zinke had to go on late after most convention attendees started leaving the arena, other non-conventional guests spoke earlier in the evening to a larger audience.</p><p>Actors Scott Baio and Antonio Sabato Jr. appeared on stage, as did Wisconsin Rep. Sean Duffy, a former star of MTV's "The Real World" reality TV show.</p><p>Here's how Cleveland's Quicken Loans Arena looked earlier in the evening versus when Ernst was speaking:</p><p><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Thunderous applause, loud cheers, standing ovation for Milwaukee sheriff David Clarke Jr. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RNCinCLE?src=hash">#RNCinCLE</a> <a href="https://t.co/rpKrbc3FIr">pic.twitter.com/rpKrbc3FIr</a></p>- Pamela Engel  (@PamEngel12) <a href="https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/755212006274113536">July 19, 2016</a></blockquote><script async="" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div></p><p><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Hardly anyone left in the arena as Sen. Joni Ernst speaks <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RNCinCLE?src=hash">#RNCinCLE</a> <a href="https://t.co/bPDTp5w3Md">pic.twitter.com/bPDTp5w3Md</a></p>- Pamela Engel  (@PamEngel12) <a href="https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/755240751483629568">July 19, 2016</a></blockquote><script async="" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div></p><p>Still, Ernst and Zinke were far from the only traditional politicians to speak Monday night, during the "Make America Safe Again" lineup.</p><p>Sen. Tom Cotton, another rising star in the GOP, spoke toward the middle of the program. Texas Rep. Michael McCaul, the&#xa0;chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, and Sen. Jeff Sessions also spoke earlier in the evening.</p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/obamas-amusing-reactions-hillary-clinton-president-campaign-north-carolina-2016-7">Obama had some incredible reactions while campaigning with Hillary Clinton</a></h3>        <div>            <div>    <script src="http://player.ooyala.com/v3/6e12e8b3387a44daacfb73afba25a76e"></script>    <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="F2Y3BrNDE6oSs8j9Odz8kx2XV8mk3PiV" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div>    <script>    if (typeof RunFunctions === 'undefined') { var RunFunctions = []; }     RunFunctions.push(function()    {         var ooyalapopvideo = OO.Player.create('ooyalaplayer_popvideo', 'F2Y3BrNDE6oSs8j9Odz8kx2XV8mk3PiV',{ autoplay: 'false' });     });    </script>    <noscript><div>Please enable Javascript to watch this video</div></noscript></div>        </div>        <script>(function() { function createPlayer() { OO.ready(function() { RunFunctions.forEach(function(ooyalaFunction) { ooyalaFunction(); }); RunFunctions = [];}); } createPlayer(); }()); </script>    </div>

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