Political Wire

Archives for September 26, 2023 at 11:26 pm EDT

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Impeachment Probe Deemed ‘Essential’ by GOP

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“House Republicans are planning to plow ahead with their impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden in the event of a government shutdown, though a lapse in federal funding could present logistical challenges to their investigative work,” CNN reports.

“In recent days, House Republicans – like all federal agencies – have been working behind the scenes to figure out which of their operations and staffers will be deemed ‘essential’ if the government shuts down at midnight on Saturday. And it has been determined that the GOP-led committees heading the Biden impeachment inquiry will fall under that umbrella.”

House GOP Advances Four Spending Bills

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“House Republicans on Tuesday advanced four full-year spending bills, handing Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) a small win but doing little to stave off a government shutdown at the end of the month,” The Hill reports.

“The chamber voted 216-212 to begin consideration of spending measures to fund the Department of Defense; Department of Homeland Security; Department of State and foreign operations; and the Department of Agriculture, rural development and Food and Drug Administration.”

“Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) was the lone GOP ‘no’ vote.”

Trump Slams Devastating Fraud Ruling

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After a judge ruled that Donald Trump was liable for extensive financial fraud over a decade, the former president railed against the “new, un-American depths” and “radical attack” against him.

Trump added the decision by a “deranged” judge was “a terrible reminder that the Radical Left Democrats will stop at nothing in trying to prevent me, and the American people, from winning the 2024 Presidential Election.”

Eric Trump also slammed the verdict: “Today, I lost all faith in the New York legal system. Never before have I seen such hatred toward one person by a judge—a coordinated effort with the Attorney General to destroy a man’s life, company and accomplishments.”


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Newsom Signs California Gun Tax

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California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) “signed a series of bills Tuesday to further strengthen California’s gun control measures, drawing praise from anti-gun violence advocates and prompting legal action from firearm rights groups,” the Sacramento Bee reports.

“The measures include limiting where concealed weapons can be carried in public, imposing a first-of-its-kind state excise tax on firearm sales and requiring that certain guns contain technology that makes it easier to trace ammunition back to a gun owner.”

Tammy Murphy Warms to Senate Run

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New Jersey first lady Tammy Murphy (D) is “seriously considering a run” for the seat held by embattled Sen. Bob Menendez (D-NJ), Axios reports.

“Murphy and her husband, Gov. Phil Murphy (D), are receiving a wave of entreaties from throughout the Garden State and from Washington… She’s warming to the idea and is already setting up coffees to explore a run.”

A Shutdown Seems Unavoidable

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Punchbowl News: “Given what we know right now, there is virtually no chance Congress can avert a shutdown at this point. Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) has said consistently that he would not provide consent for any legislation that sends more money to Kyiv.”

“Without any kind of consent agreement, the Senate will take until at least Sunday to pass this bill. That doesn’t account for the House at all. Speaker Kevin McCarthy and the House GOP leadership will have major problems with this CR.”

Senators Have Bipartisan Deal to Avoid Shutdown

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“Senate leaders released the details of a six-week stopgap spending bill on Tuesday afternoon, hoping to pass a bill through both chambers of Congress within five days — and little room for error,” Politico reports.

“The temporary spending bill, called a continuing resolution, would fund federal agencies at current levels through Nov. 17, setting up another government funding deadline before Thanksgiving rather than at midnight on Saturday.”

Judge Rules Trump Committed Financial Fraud

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“A judge has ruled that Donald Trump committed fraud for years while building the real estate empire that catapulted him to fame and the White House,” the AP reports.

“Judge Arthur Engoron, ruling Tuesday in a civil lawsuit brought by New York’s attorney general, found that the former president and his company deceived banks, insurers and others by massively overvaluing his assets and exaggerating his net worth on paperwork used in making deals and securing financing.”

“The decision, days before the start of a non-jury trial in Attorney General Letitia James’ lawsuit, is the strongest repudiation yet of Trump’s carefully coiffed image as a wealthy and shrewd real estate mogul turned political powerhouse.”

GOP Will Try to Prove ‘Bribery’ Without Payments to Biden

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“House Republicans, shooting for the history books, have set the bar for impeaching Joe Biden: They say they don’t need to prove that the president received money in order to charge him with bribery,” The Messenger reports.

“GOP investigators believe they don’t have to show that Biden took a ‘direct payment’… There are other ways to prove Biden engaged in the constitutionally impeachable offense Republicans are pursuing.”

McCarthy Wants a Meeting with Biden

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“Speaker Kevin McCarthy has reached a new point in spending negotiations, with only five days until a shutdown deadline: pushing for a meeting with President Joe Biden,” Politico reports.

“While McCarthy and his allies are increasingly projecting confidence they’ll be able to notch at least one minor spending win this week, it won’t do anything to avert a shutdown. To prevent that from happening, the speaker would almost certainly need to work with Democrats, given conservative opposition. Asked about that possibility Tuesday afternoon, McCarthy implied it’d be easier to cut a deal directly with Biden.”

Hutchinson Says Trump Said ‘Hang’ as He Watched Rioters

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Former Trump White House aide Cassidy Hutchinson claims without providing further evidence that Donald Trump said the word “hang” as he was watching rioters chant “hang Mike Pence” as the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection unfolded on a TV in the dining room off the Oval Office, ABC News reports.

As Hutchinson writes in her new book: “I take a few steps back as Mark takes my place in the doorway and strain to listen to both conversations. The TV in the Oval dining room is blaring, and the president is yelling. What’s he saying? I can’t make it out. I hear him say ‘hang’ repeatedly. Hang? What’s that about? Mark hands his phone back to me, the cue for me to return to my desk.”

About Political Wire

goddard-bw-snapshotTaegan 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.

Goddard is the owner of Goddard Media LLC.

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