Former Gov. Chris Christie’s (R) PAC has been doing some “generic non candidate specific” polling, according to financial disclosures.
Sleepy Don
Law360 reports from the second day of Donald Trump’s “hush money” criminal trial:
“Trump’s head slowly dropped, his eyes closed. It jerked back upward. He adjusts himself. Then, his head droops again. He straightens up, leaning back. His head doops for a third time, he shakes his shoulders. Eyes closed still. His head drops. Finally, he pops his eyes open.”
Rob Schneider Bombs at GOP Event
Comedian Rob Schneider “delivered a comedy set so off-color and off-putting to a group of prominent Republicans late last year that the host cut the performance short and later apologized to attendees,” Politico reports.
Mike Johnson Says He’s Not Resigning
Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) took the extraordinary step this morning of publicly announcing that he was “not resigning” after a second conservative GOP hardliner called for his ouster in a closed House Republican Conference meeting, Punchbowl News reports.
Said Johnson: “I am not resigning. And it is, in my view, an absurd notion that someone would bring a vacate motion when we are simply here trying to do our jobs. It is not helpful to the cause, it is not helpful to the country, it does not help the House Republicans advance our agenda, which is in the best interest of the American people here — a secure border, sound governance – and it’s not helpful to the unity that we have in the body.”
“But let’s be clear — It’s not great when a speaker has to go out and publicly declare that he’s not resigning just 174 days into his tenure.”
Democrats Warn Mike Johnson on Foreign Aid
House Democrats are warning Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) that not including humanitarian aid in his foreign aid package could poison it for their side, Axios reports.
Said House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.): “There is no circumstance that we could support anything that does not include humanitarian aid.”
Biden Campaign Ramps Up Ad Spending
“President Joe Biden’s campaign ramped up spending aggressively in March, flexing his cash advantage over former President Donald Trump with massive media buys,” Politico reports.
“Biden’s campaign spent $29.2 million in March alone, according to campaign finance records filed late Monday night. That’s more than four times the amount he spent in the previous month, when he dropped about $6.3 million.”
“His campaign still managed to add to its cash total, however, thanks to $43.8 million in new contributions, more than half of which came to the campaign through joint fundraising committees.”
Quote of the Day
“We are screwed.”
— A House Republican lawmaker, quoted by Axios, after Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) said he would join effort to oust Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA).
U.S. to Grow at Double the Rate of G7 Peers
The U.S. is on track to grow at double the rate of any other G7 country this year, according to IMF forecasts, as the strength of the world’s biggest economy rocks global markets, the Financial Times reports.
‘The Risk of Unfair Prejudice Is Through the Roof’
Washington Post: “In a case so closely tied to an alleged sexual liason, lawyers spent much of Monday arguing over what a jury can be told about other purported indiscretions in Trump’s life. Prosecutors wanted to tell the jury that he also had an affair with Karen McDougal, a Playboy model, at a time when his wife, Melania Trump, was pregnant with his child.”
“Trump lawyer Todd Blanche argued that would poison the jury against his client, for something that was not a crime and has no bearing on the charges he is facing.”
Said Blanche: “The risk of unfair prejudice is through the roof, from salacious details about a completely different situation.”
Thomas Massie Backs Ousting Mike Johnson
Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) announced he will co-sponsor a resolution to oust Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) from the top job, The Hill reports.
Said Massie: “I just told Mike Johnson in conference that I’m cosponsoring the Motion to Vacate that was introduced by Greene. He should pre-announce his resignation (as Boehner did), so we can pick a new Speaker without ever being without a GOP Speaker.”
Democratic Party Leaders Meet in Chicago
“About 400 Democratic Party officials will meet in Chicago this week, beginning Tuesday, to learn more about the convention in August at the United Center and to name the members of the platform, rules and credentials committees,” the Chicago Sun Times reports.
“No major floor fights are anticipated inside the arena during the convention, where President Joe Biden will be nominated for a second term.”
“Outside the United Center, though, will be another story. Protesters are already gearing up to demonstrate against Biden’s handling of the Israel-Hamas war, with some saying they will attempt to shut down the convention.”
Trump Didn’t Like Report That He Fell Asleep In Court
Donald Trump was apparently angry at New York Times reporter Maggie Haberman for reporting that he fell asleep during the first day of his criminal trial in Manhattan, CNN reports.
Said Haberman: “I noticed that he made a pretty specific stare at me and walked out of the room. If anyone falls asleep who is a criminal defendant in a case, we’re going to report on it. But he doesn’t like when such things are reported.”
Rapid-Response Machine Ready for Trump’s Abortion Pivot
“No matter where former President Donald Trump and Republicans tried to turn last week, abortion rights advocates were ready,” NOTUS reports.
“Sources — including activist groups, Democratic campaigns on the ground and the people at the highest levels of the Biden campaign — told NOTUS that in the nearly two years since the Dobbs decision, the machine built to protect and expand the right to an abortion has unified into one of the most powerful rapid-response engines in American politics.”
Why Biden Should Not Debate Trump
David Frum: “In their letter of invitation, the networks refer to presidential debates as a ‘competition of ideas.’ But one of the two men they’re inviting turned the last election into a competition of violence: Trump tried to seize the presidency by force in 2021.”
“If Trump had not occupied the presidency at the time of his attempted coup d’état, he would very likely be already serving a lengthy prison term for his alleged crimes against the 2020 election. Earlier this month, a principal figure in the January 6 attack was sentenced to seven years in prison, the latest of many such serious convictions and sentences. Fortunately for Trump, the U.S. justice system is highly cautious, deferential, and slow when dealing with persons of wealth and importance. Although the followers have been punished, the indicted leader of the plot is unlikely to face trial before Election Day 2024. Until tried and convicted, Trump must be regarded as innocent in the eyes of the law.”
“But the political system has eyes of its own. No doubt exists about what Trump did, or why, or what his actions meant. Trump lost an election, then incited a violent mob to attack the Capitol. He hoped that the insurrectionists would terrorize, kidnap, or even kill his own vice president in order to stop the ceremony to formalize the victory of Biden and his vice president, Kamala Harris. By disrupting the ceremony, Trump schemed to cast the election’s result to the House of Representatives, where Republican voting strength might proclaim him president in place of the lawful winner. Many people were badly injured by Trump’s violent plan, and some died as a result.”
Why Biden Has a Narrower Path to the Presidency
Doug Sosnik: “Seven states with close results determined who won both the 2020 and the 2016 presidential elections, and those same seven states will most likely play the same battleground role this fall: three industrial states – Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin – and four Sun Belt states – Arizona, Georgia, Nevada and North Carolina.”
“Mr. Biden’s declining popularity in the Sun Belt states is the main reason Mr. Trump has an edge right now. He is especially struggling with young and nonwhite voters there.”
Right-Wing Backlash Grows Against Johnson’s Aid Plan
“Republican hardliners are growing angry at House Speaker Mike Johnson’s complex plan to advance billions in foreign aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, the latest indication that Democratic support will be needed to save it,” CNN reports.
“But the text of the plan has not been released, so House Democrats are still weighing whether to bail out Johnson – or stand up against it and pressure Republicans to instead take up the $95 billion Senate package that Johnson has sidelined for two months. House Democrats meet Tuesday morning.”
“The first problem for Johnson: Approving the rule that governs floor debate, a procedural step that allows legislation to be passed by a majority vote. For decades, these rules have been approved along straight-party lines, but GOP divisions have derailed rules seven times this Congress and stymied its agenda.”
Biden Begins Pennsylvania Campaign Blitz
“While Donald Trump remains in a New York courtroom, President Joe Biden is taking his campaign to Pennsylvania, the biggest battleground of the 2024 election, to hammer the former president over his tax policies in an appeal to working-class voters,” USA Today reports.
“Biden will begin a three-day swing through Pennsylvania on Tuesday with a trip to his hometown of Scranton, Pennsylvania, where he will deliver a speech blasting Trump’s 2017 tax cuts for corporations and the wealthiest Americans while calling for the rich to pay their ‘fair share.'”
New York Times: “Democrats hope that the contrast of Mr. Biden campaigning and carrying out the duties of a president while Mr. Trump’s lawyers plead his innocence will highlight the choice voters face in November.”
Associated Press: Biden returns to his Scranton roots to pitch tax plan.
Trump Again Refuses to Release His Taxes
“President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden paid $146,629 in federal income taxes in 2023 after reporting income of $619,976, according to their joint tax return released Monday to mark the federal tax-filing deadline,” USA Today reports.
“It marks the 26th year that Biden has released federal tax returns during his public life. Former President Donald Trump, the Republican presumptive nominee, is again declining to release his latest federal tax returns after he broke from the bipartisan tradition of presidents disclosing the documents.”
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