Archives for November 27, 2017 at 12:30 pm EST

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Rivera Says He Broke No Laws Secretly Funding Rival

November 27, 2017 at 12:30 pm EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“Facing allegations that he illegally spent nearly $70,000 funding a ringer candidate’s campaign against a Democratic opponent, former Miami congressman David Rivera (R-FL) asked a judge Wednesday to toss a federal elections lawsuit, saying that if anybody broke the law it was the guy who took the money,” the Miami Herald reports.

“Rivera, in a motion to dismiss, told Judge Robert Scola that even if he did secretly spend $69,426.20 backing the campaign of a political neophyte in a scheme to siphon votes away from a more threatening opponent, that wouldn’t have broken any federal election laws.”

McCaskill Took Action to Hide Travel on Private Plane

November 27, 2017 at 12:02 pm EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-MO) took action earlier this year to make her family’s private plane untrackable by the public, the Washington Free Beacon reports.

“The company hired by McCaskill to operate the plane, a 2009 Pilatus PC-12/47E, wrote to the FAA earlier this year in April to ask that tracking information on the plane be blocked from the public, according to email records obtained by the Washington Free Beacon through a Freedom of Information Act request.”

Trump Will Not Campaign with Roy Moore

November 27, 2017 at 11:29 am EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

President Trump will not campaign for Roy Moore (R) before the December 12 Senate election in Alabama, the AP reports.

Nonetheless, Trump has essentially given Moore his endorsement by urging Alabamians not to vote for Doug Jones (D).

Ryan Willing to Look Past Massive Deficit Increases

November 27, 2017 at 11:26 am EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“House Speaker Paul Ryan has spent much of his political career warning against the pitfalls of deficit spending and government debt,” Bloomberg reports.

“But that argument has been bent in service to another long-held priority, one that has political urgency for Republicans trying to hang on to their congressional majorities: tax cuts.”

“The tax overhaul legislation that Ryan shepherded through the House — the Senate takes up its version this week — would add at least $1 trillion to budget deficits over the next decade, even when accounting for economic growth, according to independent tax analysts. Ryan’s willingness to look past that, and his ability to successfully persuade his members that these analyses are flawed, shows how important the tax measure has become to Republicans.”

Charlie Sykes: Whatever happened to the party of fiscal responsibility?

Paul Will Support the GOP Tax Plan

November 27, 2017 at 10:41 am EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) wrote for Fox News that he will vote for the GOP tax bill:

I spoke out all year against the GOP leaders’ initial plan to make their tax reform “revenue neutral” — meaning not really a cut. I’m pleased to see my point of view has prevailed, and the current tax plan calls for a $1.5 trillion cut over the next ten years. I would have liked to see more — in fact, I offered an amendment to move it up to $2.5 trillion — but I’ve stated many times that as long as it is a real cut, I’ll vote for it, even if it isn’t as large as I would prefer.

Mulvaney Tells CFPB Staff to ‘Disregard’ Leandra English

November 27, 2017 at 10:34 am EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Mick Mulvaney, President Trump’s pick to lead the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, on Monday instructed agency staff to disregard directions from Leandra English, who was named acting director by the former head of the agency, Reuters reports.

Axios reports Mulvaney showed up to work with donuts for the staff.

GOP Talking Points on Tax Plan Are False

November 27, 2017 at 10:08 am EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

This piece is only available to Political Wire members.

In an attempt to sell their tax plan to lawmakers, President Trump and Republicans leaders have resorted to three main talking points:

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Flynn’s Role In Nuclear Project Could Compound Problems

November 27, 2017 at 9:10 am EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“In June 2015, retired lieutenant general Michael Flynn took a little-noticed trip to Egypt and Israel, paid for by a U.S. company he was advising. The company hoped to build more than two dozen nuclear plants in the region in partnership with Russian interests,” the Washington Post reports.

“Flynn’s quiet involvement in that project — and his failure to disclose his ties to the effort — could complicate the legal issues facing President Trump’s former national security adviser, who has signaled he may be willing to cooperate with special counsel Robert Mueller.”

“Congressional Democrats say that Flynn may have violated federal law by failing to disclose the Middle Eastern trip in his security clearance renewal application in 2016. A top House Republican declined the Democrats’ request for a congressional inquiry but referred the allegations to the special counsel.”

Most Small Businesses Oppose GOP Tax Plan

November 27, 2017 at 8:39 am EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

A Public Policy Polling poll finds that 51% of small businesses are opposed to the Republican tax bill, while 34% support the GOP tax plan.

Just over half of respondents — 52% — agreed with the statement that current proposals favor large corporations over small businesses. Fifty-eight percent said it felt wealthy corporations would benefit the most.

Bonus Quote of the Day

November 27, 2017 at 8:33 am EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“Either we’re saddled with a Democrat in a seat that ought to be Republican or we’re saddled with a brand anvil that’s going to drag down the president, drag down the Senate, drag down the party and plunge the Senate into immediate turmoil when he gets there.”

— Republican strategist Scott Jennings, quoted by the New York Times, on Roy Moore’s (R) Senate candidacy in Alabama.

Moran Still Undecided on GOP Tax Bill

November 27, 2017 at 8:04 am EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Sen. Jerry Moran (R-KS) told about 100 constituents at a town hall meeting that he’s still undecided on the GOP tax bill, the Topeka Capital-Journal reports.

Said Moran: “I’m also cognizant of what people saw happen in Kansas. The issue of tax cuts would be easier if you actually had faith that Congress would hold the line on spending. It’s two components. It’s how much revenue you take in and how much money you continue to spend.”

Melania Trump Didn’t Want to Be First Lady

November 27, 2017 at 7:43 am EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Melania Trump only urged President Trump to run for office out of exasperation at his constantly toying with the idea, Vanity Fair reports.

Said a longtime friend of the Trump family: “This isn’t something she wanted and it isn’t something he ever thought he’d win. She didn’t want this come hell or high water. I don’t think she thought it was going to happen.”

Quote of the Day

November 27, 2017 at 7:35 am EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“What’s the fucking point? Keep the fight up? History will judge that campaign, and it’s always a period of time before they do. You’ve got to move on. This is Hillary’s problem right now: She doesn’t have anything to do.”

— Sen. John McCain (R-AZ), quoted by Esquire, saying Hillary Clinton made a mistake writing her campaign memoir, What Happened, so soon after her defeat.

Capitol Hill Braces for More Harassment Scandals

November 27, 2017 at 7:22 am EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Mike Allen: “Capitol Hill veterans expect that ‘a lot more’ sexual-harassment settlements by lawmakers will be uncovered. So now there’s a race to strengthen workplace rules that are scandalously archaic.”

“The existing system is a racket. Settlements are secret, and the Ethics Committee is notorious for protecting its own. We — as in all of us taxpayers — pay the hush money, because that’s who foots the bills for these settlements. Only a few lawmakers have publicly pushed for broad, quick change.”

The Timing on Taxes

November 27, 2017 at 7:09 am EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“It’s do-or-die time for Senate Republicans on tax reform. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) doesn’t appear to have locked down 50 votes for his party’s tax overhaul, with at least half a dozen GOP senators showing varying levels of concern about the legislation released earlier this month,” Politico reports.

“Yet the GOP leadership has a narrow window to push through its tax bill in the Senate before lawmakers become consumed with spending fights that could trigger a shutdown, not to mention a special election in Alabama that could flip a reliable Republican vote to a not-so-reliable one — or even a Democrat.”

Playbook: “If the Senate can get its tax bill through this week, there’s a good chance Congress could get a bill to President Donald Trump’s desk by the end of the year. Everything would need to fall into place, but it’s possible. If the Senate takes more than just this week to get it done, it will likely slip into next year.”

For members: Lose These Three Senators and the Tax Bill Is Dead

Sanders Makes Moves Towards Possible 2020 Bid

November 27, 2017 at 7:06 am EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“Bernie Sanders is taking steps to address longstanding political shortcomings that were exposed in 2016, ahead of another possible presidential bid in 2020,” Politico reports.

“From forging closer ties to the labor movement to shoring up his once-flimsy foreign policy credentials, the moves have provided the senator inroads into party power structures that largely shunned him in favor of Hillary Clinton last year. They’ve also empowered the progressive icon to harness his newfound political power and help Democrats fight President Trump’s administration.”