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White House Weighs Pardon Blitz Before Trump’s Exit

November 25, 2020 at 3:37 pm EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“It’s not just Michael Flynn. The White House is weighing a wave of pardons and commutations by President Trump in his final weeks in office, prompting jockeying by a range of clemency seekers and their representatives, including more allies of Mr. Trump,” the New York Times reports.

“Among those hoping for pardons are two former Trump campaign advisers, Rick Gates and George Papadopoulos, who like Mr. Flynn, the former national security adviser who is already said to be in line for a pardon from Mr. Trump, were convicted in cases stemming from the special counsel’s Russia investigation.”

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Trump Has $102 Million in Political Cash

July 31, 2021 at 11:38 pm EDT

“Former President Donald Trump has $102 million in political cash that he can wield as the GOP eyes retaking majorities in Congress next year,” the Wall Street Journal reports. “The…

Johnson Would Back Vaccine Mandate But Not for Covid

July 31, 2021 at 3:34 pm EDT

Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI) told Fox News that he would support a vaccine mandate for an “incredibly deadly disease,” but said he would not support such a mandate for COVID-19….

How Susan Wright’s Campaign Knew She Would Lose

July 31, 2021 at 12:06 pm EDT

Texas Tribune: “Susan Wright’s campaign had reasons to feel good Tuesday morning, coming off a tele-rally with former President Donald Trump the night before and armed with internal polling showing…

Trump Has Raised $56 Million Online

July 31, 2021 at 11:47 am EDT

“Despite departing from office and being barred from the leading social media platforms, former President Donald J. Trump was the Republican Party’s most dominant fund-raiser in the early months of…

Cawthorn vs. McKinley

July 31, 2021 at 11:44 am EDT

“A heated confrontation between Reps. Madison Cawthorn and David McKinley over cosponsorship of a bill has escalated to a McKinley staffer filing an ethics complaint against Cawthorn,” Politico reports. “The…

McConnell’s Infrastructure Vote Surprised His Allies

July 31, 2021 at 11:41 am EDTJuly 31, 2021 at 11:41 am EDT

No senator in Minority Leader Mitch McConnell’s inner circle knew he was about to support Biden’s infrastructure bill “until moments before the vote,” Politico reports. The fact he played it…

Russians Hacked Federal Prosecutors

July 31, 2021 at 11:40 am EDTJuly 31, 2021 at 11:40 am EDT

Associated Press: “The department said 80% of Microsoft email accounts used by employees in the four U.S. attorney offices in New York were breached. All told, the Justice Department said…

CDC Not Tracking Breakthrough Infections

July 31, 2021 at 11:38 am EDT

“The Centers for Disease Control’s limited tracking of Covid-19 cases in vaccinated people is hindering public health officials’ attempts to stem the nationwide surge of the highly transmissible Delta variant,”…

White House Grows Irritated With Pandemic Coverage

July 31, 2021 at 11:34 am EDT

CNN: “The administration is worried that the media’s focus on these instances of breakthrough infections might lead to people being more hesitant to get a vaccine.” Said one official: “The…

The Coming Eviction Crisis

July 31, 2021 at 11:30 am EDTJuly 31, 2021 at 11:41 am EDT

Playbook: “At midnight tonight, federal protections barring evictions will expire, putting millions of Americans at risk of losing their homes during the pandemic.” “The expiration has led to a wave…

Biden’s Infrastructure Win Overshadowed by Virus Surge

July 31, 2021 at 11:27 am EDT

“Joe Biden wagered his campaign and now his presidency on the premise that government itself could still work, even at a time of fractious political division,” the AP reports. “When…

Let It Rip

July 31, 2021 at 7:49 am EDTJuly 31, 2021 at 7:50 am EDT

Andrew Sullivan: “We are at a stage in this pandemic when we are trying to persuade the hold-outs — disproportionately white Republicans/evangelicals and urban African-Americans — to get vaccinated. How…

Quote of the Day

July 31, 2021 at 7:34 am EDT

“If you’re not vaccinated and if you have not had Covid… you’re going to get the Delta variant.” — Adm. Brett Giroir, the Trump White House’s COVID-19 testing czar, on…

Holdouts ‘Rush to Get Shots’ as Delta Variant Spreads

July 31, 2021 at 7:00 am EDTJuly 31, 2021 at 7:30 am EDT

Wall Street Journal: “Growing numbers of people are getting Covid-19 vaccines in areas hit hard by the Delta variant—offering a glimmer of hope but still far short of what is…

The Virus Consumes U.S. Politics

July 30, 2021 at 8:00 pm EDTJuly 30, 2021 at 4:55 pm EDT

New York Times: “The American political system has come down with a case of long Covid… The resurgence of the disease, driven by the fast-spreading Delta variant, threatens to halt…

Backlash Against Democrats In Midterms Isn’t a Given

July 30, 2021 at 7:00 pm EDTJuly 30, 2021 at 4:47 pm EDT

John Stoehr: “History seems to be on the side of backlash. It happened in 1994, 2006, 2010 and 2014. If you’re a betting person, backlash is a sound bet.” “But…

Extra Bonus Quote of the Day

July 30, 2021 at 6:13 pm EDTJuly 30, 2021 at 6:17 pm EDT

“Excuse me, I’ve got to go pee and throw up.” — West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice (R), quoted by the WV Metro News, after being briefed on the Delta variant…

Radio Host Skeptical of Vaccines Now on Ventilator

July 30, 2021 at 6:10 pm EDT

Conservative talk radio host Phil Valentine remains hospitalized in his battle with COVID-19 and was placed on a ventilator earlier this week “out of an abundance of caution,” WTVF reports….

Republicans Raise Concerns About Hershel Walker

July 30, 2021 at 6:00 pm EDTJuly 30, 2021 at 4:50 pm EDT

“Senate Republicans are raising concerns about Hershel Walker’s past in a state widely viewed as their best pickup opportunity next year,” Politico reports. Said Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX): “Some of…

Democrats Already Planning for 2024 Convention

July 30, 2021 at 5:55 pm EDTJuly 30, 2021 at 5:07 pm EDT

“DNC Chair Jaime Harrison is delivering a letter to over 20 U.S. cities today, inviting them to apply to host the 2024 convention,” Axios reports. Save to Favorites

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Taegan Goddard is the founder of Political Wire, one of the earliest and most influential political web sites. He also runs Political Job Hunt, Electoral Vote Map and the Political Dictionary.

Goddard spent more than a decade as managing director and chief operating officer of a prominent investment firm in New York City. Previously, he was a policy adviser to a U.S. Senator and Governor.

Goddard is also co-author of You Won - Now What? (Scribner, 1998), a political management book hailed by prominent journalists and politicians from both parties. In addition, Goddard's essays on politics and public policy have appeared in dozens of newspapers across the country.

Goddard earned degrees from Vassar College and Harvard University. He lives in New York with his wife and three sons.

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