Daily Archives

September 8, 2017

26 posts · Friday

Netanyahu’s Wife Will Soon Be Indicted

September 8, 2017 at 5:54 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“Sara Netanyahu, the wife of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, is likely to be indicted on fraud-related charges in a case that peers into spending on catered meals and lifestyle in the official residence,” the Washington Post reports.

“The probe — called the ‘meals ordering affair’ — alleges that the prime minister’s wife and the head of the operational resources unit in the official residence falsified documents so that food from outside companies and private chefs could be used, even though there was a full-time chef.”

Mueller Will Soon Interview White House Staffers

September 8, 2017 at 4:13 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Special counsel Robert Mueller’s team is planning to interview “up to a dozen” White House aides in the coming weeks, Politico reports.

The Washington Post says Mueller wants to interview six aides “including trusted adviser Hope Hicks, former press secretary Sean Spicer and former chief of staff Reince Priebus.”

“In addition to Priebus, Spicer and Hicks, Mueller has notified the White House he will probably seek to question White House counsel Don McGahn and one of his deputies, James Burnham. Mueller’s office has also told the White House that investigators may want to interview Josh Raffel, a White House spokesman who works closely with Trump son-in-law Jared Kushner.”

White House Staffers May Get Legal Defense Fund

September 8, 2017 at 4:12 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“In a reflection of how serious the administration is taking the matter, sources tell the Daily Beast there are currently efforts underway to organize a legal defense fund for White House staffers. Such a fund would help cover the legal bills associated with Mueller’s probe, which are expected to be large.

“A Washington white collar attorney told The Daily Beast that everyone questioned by Mueller will likely need to retain counsel. Those lawyers will likely bill between $500 and $1000 per hour.”

Trump Meets with Russian Ambassador

September 8, 2017 at 3:23 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Russian news agencies are reporting that President Trump met with Russia’s newly installed ambassador to Washington, Reuters reports.

Tass news agency quoted ambassador Anatoly Antonov: “I was received by President Trump, I presented my credentials. For my part I said that we are looking forward to an improvement in the relations between our two countries.”

Russia’s RIA news agency also quoted Antonov: “President Trump received me in a warm and friendly way … The atmosphere was very genial, constructive and welcoming. At least, that was my personal feeling.”

The U.S. news media apparently didn’t know about the meeting.

Baucus Now Supports Single-Payer Health Care

September 8, 2017 at 2:49 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Former Montana Sen. Max Baucus (D-MT), a principle drafter of the Affordable Care Act who helped steer the bill toward the center in 2009, told the Bozeman Daily Chronicle that he now supports a single-payer system.

Said Baucus: “My personal view is we’ve got to start looking at single-payer. I think we should have hearings. We’re getting there. It’s going to happen.”

Sam Baker: “Just eight years ago, he refused to even hold a hearing on single-payer. To say now that he not only supports it, but that he thinks it’s inevitable, is a sign of just how dramatically Democrats are pulling to the left on health care.”

Biden’s Daughter Says He’s Mulling a 2020 Bid

September 8, 2017 at 2:45 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Former Vice President Joe Biden’s daughter, Ashley, told Women’s Wear Daily that her father is considering a run for president in 2020.

Said Ashley Biden: “He’ll make a decision when that time comes. A lot can happen in four years and we know this as a family. If he is in good health, knock on wood, and seeing what the landscape is at the time, yeah, I think he is considering it.”

Christie Seeking Cable TV Gig

September 8, 2017 at 2:30 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“Gov. Chris Christie’s possible career as a sports broadcaster may not have panned out, but he might still have a shot at a television gig,” CNN reports.

“Christie has had conversations with both MSNBC and CNN about possible contributor deals after his term ends… Christie is not in talks with Fox News.”

GOP Bristles at Mnuchin Debt Plea

September 8, 2017 at 1:09 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

House Republicans bristled at Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin’s pitch for them to vote for a three-month debt and spending extension “for me,” exacerbating divisions between Capitol Hill and the White House, The Hill reports.

Said Rep. Mark Walker (R-NC): “His performance was incredibly poor, and his last words, and I quote, were ‘vote for the debt ceiling for me.’ It was a very arrogant lecture that turned off more of the conference. I’m less sold than when I walked into the meeting.”

Rep. David Brat (R-VA) called the comments “unhelpful” and “intellectually insulting.”

Rep. Ryan Costello (R-PA) said the pitch was “about as well received as his wife’s Instagram post.“

Why Christie Didn’t Get a Cabinet Post

September 8, 2017 at 12:39 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Stephen Bannon told CBS News that Gov. Chris Christie (R) wasn’t considered for a Cabinet position in President Trump’s administration because he failed to offer support after the release of the infamous “Access Hollywood” tape.

Bannon said he “took names” of those who abandoned Trump: “You know, I’m Irish. I gotta get my black book and I got ’em. Christie, because of Billy Bush weekend, was not looked at for a Cabinet position.”

He added: “I told him the plane leaves at 11 o’ clock in the morning. If you make the plane, you make the team. He didn’t make the plane.”

Extra Bonus Quote of the Day

September 8, 2017 at 11:54 am EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“To have any kind of focus on the cause and effect of the storm; versus helping people, or actually facing the effect of the storm, is misplaced. To discuss the cause and effect of these storms, there’s the… place and time to do that, it’s not now.”

— EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt, telling CNN that talking about climate change would be “very, very insensitive” to the people of Florida.

An American Family

September 8, 2017 at 11:32 am EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Coming soon: An American Family: A Memoir of Hope and Sacrifice by Khizr Khan.

“This inspiring memoir by the Muslim American Gold Star father and captivating DNC speaker is the story of one family’s pursuit of the American dream.”

Fiorina Will Not Run for Senate

September 8, 2017 at 11:20 am EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Carly Fiorina said that she would not seek the Republican nomination for U.S. Senate in Virginia’s 2018 election, CNN reports.

Said Fiorina: “I have made a decision. I have decided that I can be of more value outside the system than a single voice among a hundred inside the system. So, I’m going to continue the work I’ve been doing for many years enlisting up leaders and problem solvers all across the country and have made the decision not to seek the US Senate seat here in the Commonwealth.”

Trump Commission Sees Fraud In New Hampshire

September 8, 2017 at 10:22 am EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Washington Post: “Days before they meet in New Hampshire, members of the White House’s Election Integrity Commission have seized on a report about same-day registration to allege that massive fraud might have swung the state’s 2016 vote. Both voters and election experts say the allegation — accusing thousands of voters of criminal activity simply for living in New Hampshire but holding out-of-state driver’s licenses — are baseless.”

Trump Gets a Double-Win

September 8, 2017 at 9:55 am EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

This piece is only available to Political Wire members.

As another devastating hurricane is about to hit the United States, President Trump is on Twitter slamming his own party:

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Did Donald Trump Jr. Lie to Congress?

September 8, 2017 at 9:13 am EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Donald Trump Jr. told Congress “he was not aware of what role, if any, his father might have played in drafting an early explanation of the meeting that was widely criticized as misleading,” the Washington Post reports.

“Sen. Christopher Coons (D-DE), did not respond to a request for comment after the hearing, but his office later distributed a memorandum of federal statutes prohibiting lying to Congress, suggesting them as something ‘to keep in mind regarding Donald Trump Jr.’s testimony today.’”

Here Come the Republican Retirements

September 8, 2017 at 9:09 am EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

First Read: “Looking ahead to next year’s congressional midterm elections, maybe the biggest political development over the past week has been the back-to-back retirements from moderate House Republicans who represent swing districts.”

“Democrats need to net a gain of 24 pickups to take back the House of Representatives. But now there are three open seats due to retirements where Dems now have great to decent shots at winning, in order – Ileana Ros-Lehtinen’s in Florida (which Clinton won, 58.5% to 38.9%), Reichert’s in Washington state and Dent’s in Pennsylvania.”

“This is where the other big news this week – Trump cutting the spending/debt limit deal with Democrats – comes in: How many congressional Republicans see the deal as a last straw? If it’s every Republican for himself/herself, you’re probably going to see more retirements.”

Sanders Responds to Clinton Accusations

September 8, 2017 at 8:32 am EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Sen. Bernie Sanders brushed off the accusations in Hillary Clinton’s new book that his attacks on her during the primary made it hard for her to unify progressives, The Week reports.

Said Sanders: “Secretary Clinton ran against the most unpopular candidate in the history of this country and she lost and was upset about it, and I understand that. But our job now is really not to go backwards. It is to go forward.”

He added: “We need her help to go forward, let’s not keep arguing about 2016.”

Bonus Quote of the Day

September 8, 2017 at 7:34 am EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“Haven’t seen anything like it before. I have no way of divining his motives. I’m a pretty intelligent guy, but I don’t understand this.”

— Sen. John McCain (R-AZ), quoted by the Washington Post, on President Trump’s surprise deal with Democrats to raise the debt ceiling.