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Trump Backs Indicted Lawmaker for ‘Possibly’ Lying

October 20, 2021 at 9:50 am EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Former President Donald Trump threw his support behind indicted Rep. Jeff Fortenberry (R-NE) while conceding the GOP lawmaker may have lied to the FBI about an illegal foreign campaign finance scheme.

Said Trump: “Isn’t it terrible that a Republican Congressman from Nebraska just got indicted for possibly telling some lies to investigators about campaign contributions, when half of the United States Congress lied about made up scams, and when Mark Zuckerberg, in my opinion a criminal, is allowed to spend $500 million and therefore able to change the course of a Presidential Election, and nothing happens to them.”

Mark Meadows Lawyers Up

October 20, 2021 at 9:36 am EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Former Trump chief of staff Mark Meadows “has brought on a top Republican lawyer to handle the House’s Jan. 6 investigation,” Politico reports.

Giuliani Attacks McAuliffe Disguised as Abraham Lincoln

October 20, 2021 at 9:33 am EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Rudy Giuliani put out an attack video against Virginia gubernatorial candidate Terry McAuliffe (D) featuring himself disguised as Abraham Lincoln using an augmented reality filter.

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Michele Fiore Announces Bid for Nevada Governor

October 20, 2021 at 9:29 am EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“Las Vegas Councilwoman Michele Fiore (R) said Tuesday she will seek the Republican nomination for governor, casting herself as a champion for conservative values amid a cascade of controversies that figure to be election cycle targets,” the Las Vegas Review Journal reports.

“Fiore is under FBI investigation related to her campaign finances; fellow Councilwoman Victoria Seaman accused her of breaking Seaman’s finger in an assault inside City Hall; and Fiore survived a failed recall effort last year fueled in part by racially charged remarks she reportedly made regarding affirmative action.”

White House Unveils Plan to Vaccinate Children

October 20, 2021 at 8:56 am EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“The White House on Wednesday announced its plan to roll out coronavirus vaccines for children ages 5 to 11, pending the vaccine’s approval by the Food and Drug Administration, which the Biden administration anticipates will happen within weeks,” the Washington Post reports.

“White House officials said they have secured enough doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for the country’s 28 million children in that age group.”

Cheney Says Bannon’s Refusal to Testify Implicates Trump

October 20, 2021 at 8:39 am EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Rep. Liz Cheney (R-WY) said that Steve Bannon’s refusal to cooperate with the House committee investigating the Capitol riot suggests President Trump was “personally involved in the planning and execution of January 6th,” The Hill reports.

Said Cheney: “Based on the committee’s investigation, it appears that Mr. Bannon had substantial advance knowledge of the plans for January 6th and likely had an important role in formulating those plans. Mr. Bannon was in the war room at the Willard on January 6th. He also appears to have detailed knowledge regarding the president’s efforts to sell millions of Americans the fraud that the election was stolen.”

She added: “They suggest that President Trump was personally involved in the planning and execution of January 6th. And we will get to the bottom of that.”

Emanuel’s Nomination Faces Opposition from Democrats

October 20, 2021 at 8:34 am EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“Rahm Emanuel could face opposition from an unusual source at his Wednesday nomination hearing to be the next US ambassador to Japan: his own party,” CNN reports.

Capitol Rioter Thrown Out of Military

October 20, 2021 at 8:32 am EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“An Army reservist charged in the Justice Department’s sweeping investigation of the U.S. Capitol riot was quietly demoted and discharged earlier this year, becoming the first known service member to be forced out of the military after officials learned of an alleged involvement in the Jan. 6 insurrection,” the Washington Post reports.

Schiff Thinks Merrick Garland Should Investigate Trump

October 20, 2021 at 8:31 am EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“In unusually pointed comments about a member of President Biden’s Cabinet, House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff (D-CA) says he ‘vehemently’ disagrees with Attorney General Merrick Garland’s failure so far to aggressively investigate former President Donald Trump for his efforts to overturn the 2020 election and other matters,” Yahoo News reports.

For members: A Briefing with Adam Schiff, tomorrow at 7 p.m. ET.

Doctor Lawmaker Prescribed Dewormer for Covid-19

October 20, 2021 at 8:27 am EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“Rep. Andy Harris (R-MD), a practicing anesthesiologist, said he has prescribed ivermectin, a medication typically used to treat parasites in livestock and humans, as a Covid-19 treatment, and he lashed out at pharmacies for not making the drug readily available,” the New York Times reports.

Trump Organization Faces New Criminal Inquiry

October 20, 2021 at 8:24 am EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“Former President Donald Trump’s family business, which is already under indictment in Manhattan, is facing a criminal investigation by another prosecutor’s office that has begun to examine financial dealings at a golf course the company owns,” the New York Times reports.

“In recent months, the district attorney’s office in suburban Westchester County, NY, has subpoenaed records from the course, Trump National Golf Club Westchester, and the town of Ossining, which sets property taxes on the course, a sprawling private club that is perched on a hill north of New York City and boasts a 101-foot waterfall.”

“The full scope of the investigation could not be determined, but the district attorney, Mimi Rocah, appears to be focused at least in part on whether Mr. Trump’s company, the Trump Organization, misled local officials about the property’s value to reduce its taxes.”

Border Arrests Soar to Highest Levels Since 1986

October 20, 2021 at 7:51 am EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“U.S. authorities detained more than 1.7 million migrants along the Mexico border during the 2021 fiscal year that ended in September, and arrests by the Border Patrol soared to the highest levels since 1986,” the Washington Post reports.

Gender Disparities in Views of Equality Persist

October 20, 2021 at 7:40 am EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Gallup: “Women in the U.S. remain largely dissatisfied with the treatment of their gender in society, do not think there is gender equality in job opportunities and favor affirmative action programs for women.”

“Conversely, majorities of men are satisfied with the treatment of women in society and think women and men in the U.S. have equal job opportunities.”

Laboratories of Autocracy

October 20, 2021 at 7:33 am EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

David Pepper, the former chair of the Ohio Democratic Party, is out with a new book, Laboratories of Autocracy.

“Laboratories of Autocracy shows that far more than the high-profile antics of politicians like Marjorie Taylor Greene or Jim Jordan—and yes, even bigger than Donald Trump’s ‘Big Lie’—it’s anonymous, often corrupt politicians in statehouses across the country who pose the greatest dangers to American democracy.”

Laboratories of Autocracy: A Wake-Up Call from Behind the Lines

Pepper, David (Author)
English (Publication Language)
452 Pages - 10/14/2021 (Publication Date) - St. Helena Press (Publisher)

House Hopes to Defy History In Contempt Case

October 20, 2021 at 7:27 am EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“The House’s push to prosecute Steve Bannon for defying its Jan. 6 investigators relies on a law that hasn’t produced a conviction in decades and could take years to litigate,” Politico reports.

“Welcome to criminal contempt of Congress. It’s going to be messy.”

“Contempt is one of the House’s only tools to punish witnesses who refuse to cooperate, but it’s riddled with legal loopholes and ambiguities that could allow Donald Trump’s allies to bury the Jan. 6 select committee in Byzantine court challenges — without ever producing new evidence about the former president’s effort to overturn the 2020 election.”

Republicans Set to Block Voting Bill Again

October 20, 2021 at 7:23 am EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“Senate Republicans were expected again on Wednesday to block action on voting rights legislation, intensifying calls by activists and lawmakers for Democrats to finally do away with the filibuster or find themselves at a steep disadvantage in next year’s midterm elections and into the future,” the New York Times reports.

“For the third time this year, Republicans were poised to use the procedural weapon to thwart an attempt by Democrats to ensure access to the ballot box and counteract a raft of G.O.P.-written state laws around the country imposing new election restrictions.”

Said Sen. Angus King (I-ME): “When we are talking about the fundamental operation of democracy, I have to think a Senate rule will have to be modified or give way.”

Biden’s Agenda Suddenly Has Momentum

October 20, 2021 at 7:04 am EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Playbook: “Biden began pitching lawmakers on an outline for his Build Back Better plan Tuesday night. The proposal, pegged in the range of $1.75 to $1.9 trillion, is far from a done deal: Moderates and progressives will have plenty to say before giving anything their blessing. But Hill Democrats are relieved that Biden is getting his hands dirty after sitting on the sidelines for weeks.”

Punchbowl News: “It does seem reasonable to believe Democrats can agree on a reconciliation framework before President Joe Biden heads to Italy and Scotland in 11 days. That’s a change from where things stood heading into this week, a crucial one for both the White House and party leaders on the Hill. Biden had some good meetings with House Democrats Tuesday, and for the first time in a while — weeks or months really — there’s some renewed optimism in Democratic ranks. It’s amazing what some TLC from the president can do.”

“And if Democrats get a reconciliation framework agreed upon, and the feelings stay positive, maybe the House can pass the $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill soon too. Speaker Nancy Pelosi has set an Oct. 31 date for that vote, and it’s critical for moderates that it happen.”

White House Weighed Tapping National Guard

October 20, 2021 at 6:58 am EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“White House officials have explored in recent weeks whether the National Guard could be deployed to help address the nation’s mounting supply chain backlog,” the Washington Post reports.

“The idea appears unlikely to proceed as of now but reflects the extent to which internal administration deliberations about America’s overwhelmed supply chain have sparked outside-the-box proposals to leverage government resources to address the issue.”